'Millions’ avoiding dentist to keep social life afloat

Millions of people are prioritising their social life ahead of their oral health, potentially endangering their health in the process.....

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, urges people to discover why placing social life ahead of regular visits to the dentist isn’t a smart move. 

Dr Carter said: “Visiting the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend, is a cornerstone of good oral health practice. If people are choosing to overlook that and perhaps harm their oral health further by snacking at the cinema, drinking too much alcohol or indulging in a poor diet, they are risking further complications by just skipping one appointment. 

“In the last two years poor oral health has been linked to a number of conditions, some of which are life-threatening. Breast cancer, strokes, diabetes, hospital-acquired infections, erectile dysfunction, pneumonia, bowel cancer, endocarditis, oral cancer, dementia, pancreatic cancer, psoriasis and pregnancy complications have all been associated with varying degrees of poor oral health. 

“Gum disease in particular has been associated with serious health issues. It affects most people at some point in their lives, so there is no excuse for ignoring good dental hygiene. The good news is that poor oral health is nearly always preventable, so it is important that people make caring for their teeth a top priority. Regular check-ups are really important to give the dentist a chance to assess your oral health and, if necessary, give your teeth a scale and polish.

Really! Pay to have all the teeth pulled out then. No more life threatening diseases.