Pictured above: Dr Thomas Norlin

A leading Shropshire dentist has warned that people who are putting off getting dental treatment to save money in the current financial crisis could be putting their health at serious risk and incurring greater cost in the longer term.

Dr Thomas Norlin D.D.S., Odont. Lic, of The Dental Spa on Oxon Business Park, Shrewsbury, issued the warning after results of a poll conducted on behalf of the British Dental Association in October and November were published this month. The results indicated a massive rise in the number of patients needing emergency treatment.

Of 251 dentists who took part in the poll almost seven out of ten said they had patients who had deferred treatment, with more than half reporting cancelled appointments. Over a third said they had seen an increased demand for emergency treatment during the last twelve months.

"Postponing or cancelling treatment and appointments is false economy," says Dr Norlin, "as dental problems can escalate rapidly and require even more expensive treatment. But my biggest concern is that people just don't realise they can be jeopardising their health in other ways as well if they ignore dental problems.

"There is increasing evidence to show that periodontal infections are linked to other diseases throughout the body and that gum disease may even be a more serious risk factor for heart disease than thought previously. All factors add up such as smoking, cholesterol, hyper-tension and genetics, but in a recent study 91% of patients with cardiovascular disease were found to be suffering from gum disease of some severity. 

"I cannot emphasise too strongly the importance of regular treatment before problems become too serious. One example is pregnant women. If they have gum-disease it can influence the pregnancy as the condition can increase the risk of premature birth. Recently it was shown that oral bacteria linked to gum disease had spread from the blood stream to the placenta. Post mortem tests of a still born baby showed that bacteria samples from the mother's teeth were found to be a positive match for the exact strain found in the baby.  

"Whilst this is rare it does show that your oral bacteria can turn harmful. Most people are at low risk but for those with known or unknown problems it can be dangerous to ignore it."