Oral health care has become less of a priority, according to one organisation, which has found that a large number of people failed to visit the dentist due to fear about costs.
Half of those asked why they would avoid regular check-ups, said concerns over treatment expenses would keep them away from the dental surgery.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, which carried out the survey said: “Members of the public have had to sacrifice good oral healthcare to get by financially and that is not right. People need to have access to a dentist.”
The economic downturn came out on top as the commonest reason why people in the UK failed to have treatment, which Dr Carter believes reflects how people are unaware of the importance of seeking regular treatment in order to maintain a good standard of oral health and catch any potential problems before they develop.
A recent study reported in the Daily Record showed that dental phobia stopped seven per cent of Scots from having their teeth checked for a period of five years.