Key Points
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One quarter of respondents rated their oral health as fair or worse, with a similar proportion reporting difficulties accessing routine care.
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Most frequently reported barriers were 'no dentists taking patients', 'dentists only treating privately' and 'treatment too expensive'.
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Marked inequalities existed between those living in the most and least deprived neighbourhoods.
Abstract
Background and aim Although national surveys are conducted of the oral health of adults in the UK, few data are available at regional and primary care trust levels to inform local commissioning. A postal survey was conducted to investigate the oral health and use of dental services by adults in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Method A questionnaire was developed and piloted, then sent to a random sample of 25,200 adults. Data were analysed by sex, gender, age and deprivation.
Results 10,864 (43.0%) questionnaires were returned completed. Nearly three-quarters (71.6%) of respondents had 20 or more teeth and approximately one quarter (25.3%) rated their oral health as fair, poor or very poor. The percentage reporting painful aching, discomfort when eating and being self-conscious about their mouths (occasionally or more often in the last 12 months) were 28.8%, 32.8% and 29.1% respectively. Overall, 80.3% reported attending a dentist in the last two years, although nearly a quarter (22.6%) of respondents reported difficulties accessing routine care. However, there were marked inequalities between those living in the most and least deprived neighbourhoods.
Conclusion This survey was the first to investigate the oral health and service use of adults in the Yorkshire and Humber region. The findings have implications for the local commissioning of dental services.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank David Merrick for his work during the planning of this survey and Anne Cunningham, James Carpenter and Lorna Weaver for their support with the data analyses and statistics. We would also like to thank the local collaborators, Stephen Bruster of PatientPerspective, Peter G. Robinson, Pat Ludiman and Debbie Denton for their contributions to the survey.
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Marshman, Z., Dyer, T., Wyborn, C. et al. The oral health of adults in Yorkshire and Humber 2008. Br Dent J 209, E9 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2010.819
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2010.819
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