"If we focused more on the prevention that people need, and which we know works, we could save a large part of the expenses we have for dental treatments today. Both from a socio-economic perspective and, not least, regarding our personal finances. And as a bonus, we could also spare citizens from pain and save more lives," says Liselotte Hinrich, dental hygienist and founder of Denglademund.dk.
Facts:
- Your dentist repairs damage, but cannot remove the cause. Therefore, the damage will occur again and again. Only you can remove the cause.
- If no one has taught you how to remove the cause, the risk of expensive dental bills is much higher.
- The cause is poor oral hygiene, which only very few people change by regularly visiting the dentist (KRAM).
- If the preventive services that you pay for, and which can remove the cause, worked, your dental bills could become cheaper.
We close our eyes and cross our fingers
Many people believe that some people have bad teeth, and others are just lucky. But that is not the reality. There is a small group of people who have congenital or acquired diseases/disorders that make them have a much greater need for disease prevention in teeth and gums. But that is far from most of us. And if those people got the necessary help, they would not have as many challenges and high dental bills. Most of us hold our breath and cross our fingers when we go to the dentist and hope for the best. "He didn't even drill!" many people can surely remember from an old toothpaste commercial. Shouldn't we strengthen prevention so that we expect him not to drill?
"We should confront and change our healthcare system as it is today in the field of dental health. Otherwise, we will not help those who have the highest expenses for dental treatments," says dental hygienist Liselotte Hinrich.
Diseases in teeth and gums are lifestyle diseases
If you live healthily, the risk of disease is lower. If you keep the plaque away, the risk of dental disease is lower. Because it is the plaque that causes all dental diseases. But it requires that you know what to do to keep the plaque away. "Brush teeth for 2 minutes twice a day and use fluoride toothpaste" and "remember to floss" are not always the solution. When it comes to dental health, there are no standard solutions. It's not so much what we do, but how we each do it in the right way for us. "We should confront and change our healthcare system as it is today in the field of dental health. Otherwise, we will not help those who have the highest expenses for dental treatments," continues dental hygienist Liselotte Hinrich.
Most people do not brush their teeth well enough
According to the KRAM survey, 69.4% brush their teeth several times a day but still have moderate or poor oral hygiene. Nearly 90% of participants with moderate oral hygiene reported that they had been to the dentist at least once a year in the last 5 years. 63% of participants had gum disease. "In this context, one can be surprised that they are not better at brushing their teeth when they have been to the dentist so often," according to the KRAM survey. "I have had many patients who say they brush their teeth several times a day, but still have visible plaque and gum disease," adds dental hygienist Liselotte Hinrich.
When prevention doesn't work
In 2022, dentists in adult dental care conducted more than 3.8 million examinations and over 1 million preventive services. Despite this, nearly 2.3 million teeth were drilled, and over 220,000 teeth were extracted. The number of the above services/treatments has remained fairly stable since 2019. (Danish Dental Association) In 2017, more than 80% of Danes over the age of 25 regularly visited the dentist (National Institute of Public Health). The KRAM survey concludes: "On the other hand, there is evidence to suggest that simply visiting the dentist does not necessarily result in good oral hygiene."
Does your dental bill include IFB?
You are far from alone if it does. IFB (Individual Preventive Treatment) appeared on more than 1 million invoices on average each year from 2019 to 2022. An IFB is much more than "remember to floss" or "you need to brush more thoroughly there." Otherwise, it makes no difference, as the purpose of the service is to help you change your oral hygiene so you can stop a disease process or oral condition. If the dentist does not have the necessary time, he/she can fortunately arrange a new appointment with no additional cost to you, so you can get the help you need.
How to save money
Your dentist/dental hygienist cannot reduce your dental bills. Only you can do that. If you get a cavity, undergo periodontal treatment, or need IFB repeatedly, expect your dentist/dental hygienist to provide you with the help you need to avoid it in the future. This is precisely how you can save money on your dental bills. "All diseases of teeth and gums can be prevented. But it requires us as professionals to take the necessary time to educate our patients," concludes dental hygienist Liselotte Hinrich.