Dental costs 'forcing many consumers to get credit'

Large dental costs are forcing many of the country's consumers to get credit, it is believed.

Over the course of the last 12 months, credit cards have been used by as many as 39 per cent of those polled in a Simplyhealth survey, in response to dental bills in excess of £50.

According to the Annual Dental Survey 2010 published by the firm, the financial consequences of seeing a dentist are deterring 43 per cent of respondents from getting their teeth checked.

Simplyhealth's James Glover feels that the figures give some cause for concern.

"It's extremely worrying that people are going to these lengths to pay for their dental treatment and that others are delaying to the point of pain," he commented.

Meanwhile, Simplyhealth has also suggested that around ten per cent of those taking part in its survey are not currently on the books of a dentist.

Posted by Tom Burroughs.