According to a poll of 11,785 British adults on behalf of healthcare solution provider SimplyHealth, cost is a major factor preventing them from visiting the dentist.

More than a fifth (21%) claim they can’t afford it and one in ten (10%) are worried that the cost may be too high since they have not been for sometime.

Standards set by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) state that people should not leave longer than 24 months between appointments. However, 20% of individuals in healthcare provider Simplyhealth’s Annual Dental Survey 2012 (that have ever been to the dentist) have not visited one in 18 months or more. This means that a vast number of British adults may be neglecting their dental health due to the pressure they are feeling financially.

James Glover, spokesperson for Simplyhealth, said: “Concerns over the cost of dental treatment are apparent. With 22% of those people that have visited the dentist receiving bills of over £300, and 44% of these paying for the treatment by credit card, it is vital that individuals plan how to cover these costs. Dental plans and cash plans are a great way of helping individuals and families to spread the cost of visiting the dentist, ensuring dental care is affordable even when finances don’t allow.”