The Rise Of DIY Dentistry In Britain: Why More People Do Their Own 'Dental Care'

There have been increasing reports on the rise of DIY dentistry in Britain over the last few years and it looks like this disturbing trend is only catching on stronger. So what is the reason that a developed country with access to quality dental care facilities and a high level of education has more and more citizens turning to dental care methods that are straight out of the dark ages? Here are some possible answers.

Access To Dentistry Is Expensive

Dental treatment always tends to be expensive, and that is the situation the world over. Now, the situation in Britain is such that patients have the choice to go to a NHS dentist, the treatment costs of which are completely covered for a large section of society, or a private dentist. Some people, who are already availing certain other benefits from the government like housing benefits do not qualify for free care and thus have to pay certain pre-prescribed NHS costs.

Britain, like most of Europe, has been going through a tough time when it comes to economic growth and is struggling to find a balance between social benefits that are taking a huge bite out of their budget and a call for reducing taxes. It is obvious that the two cannot exist together. One thing that I would like to mention here is that while dentistry is expensive no doubt, it is well within reach of the vast majority of people. The trouble is that people seem to not prioritize their teeth as much. Several studies have noted that a good set of teeth has been linked to success in social and professional circles.

Another reason why dentistry is expensive is that the costs that the doctor has to bear for strict norms of sterilization, insurance, materials themselves are also rising. Add to that crippling student loan debt rents and mortgages and you get an idea of why treatment is not free for everyone.

Lack Of Education And Awareness

Recent surveys have brought up instances of people using shop pliers to try and extract their teeth, using engine repair material as a substitute for fillings, and using over the counter kits to diagnose and then treat themselves. I have tried to think of a rational reason why people would be doing this and I honestly cannot.

The only reason could be that they have no idea of the damage they could be causing themselves. Think about it. None of these instruments are sterilized, there are no X-rays available, the people have had no training and the materials themselves are not meant for use in the oral cavity. Who in their right mind would look at all this and think "yes, this is the treatment option for me"?

See Also: How To Choose A Good Dentist? Tips From The Horse's Mouth

Dental diseases are slow to progress in most cases, and even this rate of progress varies greatly from individual to individual. The oral cavity is in fact one of the most difficult areas in the mouth for disease prevention, because of the wide variety of micro-organisms present, an environment open to extreme temperature fluctuations as well as other external influences and the dependency on the patients themselves to maintain a good level of oral hygiene. 

The Rise Of DIY Dentistry Is Evidence Of A Broken System

Word Of Mouth

If someone tells you there is a way to save money, avoid a visit to the dentist and that it’s quick and effective, you will be intrigued. For some reason, people are extremely skeptical of tried and trusted science and medicine while having no trouble believing the friend who lives down the road! The one thing that everyone wonders, and asks, is that how do these people get away with whatever self treatment they are administering?

The answer to that is quite simple. Our bodies are immensely resourceful and combative, and so a healthy person may have no trouble warding off any infection that might occur due to a lack of sterilization (as long as the material and instruments are not shared or reused). If someone extracts their own tooth then it will be painful, sure, but if the entire tooth has been removed then the wound will eventually heal. This is something that happens inspite of your best efforts to cause your harm and not because of it!

The slow nature of progress of these diseases also makes it feel that the treatment has been successfully administered while in reality the problem is only worsening and building up to something bigger.

As in most cases, early detection and prevention is absolute key to help bring down treatment costs and morbidity, particularly in the case of oral cancers in the long run.

Easy Availability

These DIY dental kits are available off the shelves in super markets for a fraction of the cost it takes to visit a dentist. While they may be inexpensive, do we really want the cheapest, mass produced products in our mouth? I honestly cannot think of a single situation where using these kits to self-administer treatment would be a good option.

The dental council and associated healthcare authorities in Britain need to take a long hard look at why these things are being allowed to flourish? How have things come to this point that people feel this is the only viable option left to them?

See Also: Tooth extraction: Would You Be Able To Recognize Infection And Other Complications?

The reports state that a lot people could not find an NHS dentist in their area and even if they could the next appointment that they could get was too far away. These situations need to be resolved otherwise people will be left with no choice other than to try options which actually end up harming them more.