Orthodontics and the British
The British have a reputation for bad teeth but surely in today’s modern world, that’s a thing of the distant past?
Orthodontics has always had something of a bad press when it comes to the Brits. The Americans have long mocked the UK for being an island full of people with awful, yellow teeth. And yet, in every other regard the UK has been at the forefront of technology, science and art. But when it comes to orthodontics, it seems the NHS is failing.
Shortage of Dentists
Those who can afford it, or who make their teeth a priority, opt for orthodontics from the best dentists and cosmetic dentists available – which if course is private and often costly. And more Brits are waking up to the fact they simply can’t afford to rely on the NHS. According to a report in the Telegraph, more than 10,000 children were suffering from crippling teeth problems in 2008, but were facing a wait of up to seven years for treatment. It’s not surprising more people would rather go straight to an orthodontist and fix the problem fast.
Orthodontics Hard to Find
Orthodontists and dentists say such chronic delays are merely making the dental problems worse – costing more to fix in the long run. Like most health problems, tackling the problem early can make a huge difference. But orthodontists across the UK have spoken out saying that the NHS has almost stopped providing corrective dental surgery for children in some parts of England. A survey by the British Orthodontic Society discovered that difficulty of access to NHS dentists is impacting widely on the state of the nation’s teeth. It has been estimated that seven and a half million people in Britain failed to gain access to an NHS dentist over 2007 and 2008.
19th Century Teeth?
The shortage of NHS treatment when it came to orthodontics led the media to dub bad teeth as the ‘new British disease’. And for the Americans, England being a nation of people with poor teeth simply reinforces their stereotype of Brits which dates back to the days when we pulled out bad teeth with pliers! And according to the Telegraph, getting on an NHS list isn’t the half of it – if you require orthodontic treatment patients are still charged 80% of the cost of treatment (unless you are pregnant, on benefits or a child). It’s not surprising more adults in the UK are opting to see orthodontists and cosmetic dentists to ensure they get the treatment they need fast. The situation prompted the Telegraph to dub the UK as having ‘third world dental care’: “…we have 19th-century teeth. Britain has to take its teeth seriously again or we will soon be back to wooden dentures.”
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