Representatives from the Liberal Democrats have urged the government to ‘sort out’ the terrible standards of dental health across the country.
Recent statistics revealed that over a third of Scottish women and a quarter of Scottish men over the age of 55 have lost all of their original teeth. This shocking revelation has been hailed as a “depressing indictment of Scotland’s dental health” by Ross Finnie, a Liberal Democrat health minister.
The soaring rates of decay and tooth loss across Scotland are an indication of both poor standards of dental hygiene and a poor diet. Scottish people eat a diet that is higher in fat, salt and sugar than most other countries, according to nutritional research studies. Alcohol consumption is also a source of concern for health ministers in Scotland, as the number of people that drink regularly is significantly higher than other nations.
Dental provision in Scotland has long been a source of debate amongst ministers, with reports released last year condemning the government for failing to provide acceptable access to NHS dental care for residents in Scotland. In light of the harsh criticism and growing waiting lists, money has been ploughed into Scotland to open new practices and increase recruitment of dentists, especially in rural areas.
Ministers are now urging the government to introduce initiatives to improve oral hygiene and encourage people to adopt a healthier diet; eating healthily has a range of health benefits as well as reducing the chances of suffering from tooth decay. Preventive dental care could also be used to quickly improve the nation’s dental health, especially if children are targeted like the model in America; introducing children to oral hygiene and teaching them how to eat healthily and look after their teeth and gums will pay dividends in the future because they are much less likely to need costly dental treatments.
Patients that are registered with an NHS dentist are urged to visit their dentist regularly for check-ups. Patients that are struggling to find an NHS dentist in their area should contact their local NHS trust.
