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Real reason Brits hate going to the dentists revealed it's not what you think

Trips to the dentist have often been a subject of ire among Brits, but now the real reason so many hate going has been revealed

[A woman in a dentists chair]

A trip to the dentists can fill some with dread(Image: GETTY)

The real reason so many Brits choose not to go to the dentists has been revealed.

You might think that the thought of having a painful oral procedure is the number one reason people hate going. But you'd be wrong.

Research has revealed that 29% of Brits arent going to the dentist due to the high cost of treatment.

When asked why they are avoiding the chair, the next biggest reasons for respondents were a lack of availability, with 18% reported being unable to find an NHS dentist currently accepting new patients.

Other reasons Brits arent going include only going when they experience pain (15%), anxiety or fear (12%), negative past experience (9%) and waiting times being too long (9%).

The NHS currently recommends that adults should receive a check-up at least every 24 months, yet the survey found a stark number had failed to do so.

The North East has the most amount of residents missing the dentist over the last 18 months, with 33% surveyed saying they'd not visited. It's closely followed by Wales, where 22% confessed to not visiting in over a year and a half.

Meanwhile, the area where people are visiting the dentist most frequently looks to be Northern Ireland, where over 57% of residents say they have visited in the past six months. The West Midlands followed behind with 44% visiting in the past half of the year. While both London and the East Midlands have 41% visiting in six months.

Despite the gap in visits, 35% of residents stated they would be willing to spend over 1,000 to achieve their perfect smile.

Asked what Brits would pay to achieve the perfect smile, almost half said they would be willing to pay up to 3,000, as 14% said up to 500 would be their limit, 15% willing to pay up to 1,000 and a further 14% happy to spend almost 3000 on their teeth.

Smart Dental Care carried out the research and its director, Subahu Shah, said: "These findings highlight a worrying postcode lottery in oral health. Regular check-ups are the frontline of defence against more serious issues like gum disease and oral cancer further down the line.

When 29% of the population is skipping these vital appointments, we aren't just looking at a dental issue; we're looking at a much bigger issue. Prevention is always more affordable than a cure, but we must ensure that access to care is equitable across the country.

While the 'perfect smile' is a popular goal, our priority is ensuring that people don't lose the foundation of their dental health. We need to normalise regular visits again to prevent minor issues from becoming painful, expensive emergencies."

Top 10 reasons Bits arent going to the dentist regularly

• Too expensive - 29%
• No particular reason - 27%
• I cant find an NHS dentist taking on new patients - 18%
• I only go when I experience pain - 15%
• Anxiety/Fear - 12%
• Negative past experience - 9%
• Waiting times are too long - 9%
• Embarrassed about the condition of my teeth - 8%
• Appointments werent available at convenient times - 8%
• I dont have the time - 7%
• I didnt know you should go for regular check-ups - 4%

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