One third of Germans do not go to the dentist

About 30 percent of Germans do not go to the dentist

05.04.2011

The fact that 30 percent of Germans do not go to the dentist within one year, according to the experts, is also a reason to reflect on fundamental changes in the system. „If almost every third person remains without a dentist contact, the question arises: is it individual dentist anxiety or deter the growing private financing??“, stressed Barmer GEK vice-chairman Rolf-Ulrich Schlenker.

On average, two dental visits per year throughout Germany
With the regular dental visits, the Germans take it „Dental Report 2011“ according to not quite so accurate. Around a third of Germans do not go to the dentist once a year. According to Barmer GEK, an average of 2.15 dentist contacts per year are lost to every German citizen, but the distribution of dental visits differs depending on the age group and gender, said study author Professor Thomas Schäfer of the Hannover Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health System Research (ISEG ). So be for example „Young men in the age group 20- to under 25-year-olds (...) especially dentist shy.“ According to data from the Barmer GEK, only 55 percent of them were with the dentist during the year under review, while the share among women of the same age group was 67 percent. the „Dental Report 2011“ are the data of more than eight million insured of the merged since 2010 statutory health insurance Barmer and GEK (now: Barmer GEK) from the year 2009 based.

East-West gradient during dental visits and prophylaxis
Striking is also the East-West difference in the dentist visits explained the study author of „Dental Report 2011“According to this, in Saxony and Thuringia on average 2.4 dentist contacts per year and inhabitant are recorded, while in Rhineland-Palatinate an average of 1.9 dental visits per year took place and in the Saarland only 1.8. Also in the use of prophylactic services are the East German states according to the presentation of the „Dental Report 2011“ front. Professor Thomas Schäfer from the ISEG lists this clear east-west divide on the one hand on the higher dentist density in the east and on the other „the early childhood socialization in daycare centers and hoarding the former GDR“ back. Special emphasis is placed on participation in prophylactic programs and similar measures. Nevertheless, about six percent of all fillings in Germany accounted for deciduous teeth, which illustrates the relatively wide spread of tooth decay in children.

Expansion of group prophylaxis required
Therefore, the Barmer GEK advocates an expansion of group prophylaxis in kindergartens and schools and also the intensive care of preschool children should be accelerated, said study author Professor Thomas Schäfer. In this case, children from socially disadvantaged families, in particular, should be taken into account „do not determine the environment of origin (...) through dental health“ allowed, emphasized Schäfer and added: „Prophylaxis is also a piece of social compensation.“ Also the Barmer GEK vice-boss, dr. Rolf-Ulrich Schlenker underlined the importance of prevention through group prophylaxis in kindergartens and schools. At the presentation of the „Dental Report 2011“ On Tuesday in Berlin, Schlenker explained that group prophylaxis can contribute to a greater awareness of dental health, and this also applies to children, „whose parents can not care for them as they wish“.

Spread of tooth decay in toddlers cause for concern
In addition, the spread of tooth decay in infants quite cause for concern, said dentists at the University of Dresden „World Online“. According to own surveys, the situation is particularly alarming, especially in social hotspots, as up to 35 percent of the three-year-olds are already affected here, said the University of Dresden. Decisive for the wide spread of tooth decay is, according to the experts, among other things, frequent sucking sweet drinks, but also evening breastfeeding after the first year of life, when already the first milk teeth come through. „Of course, parents know that sweets are bad for your teeth“, explained Gabriele Viergutz, specialist in pediatric dentistry „World Online“, Many people are unaware that many drinks and even mother's milk can harm their teeth. Dentists advise you to go to the dentist with the child early in the day after the birth of the baby teeth and to brush the child's teeth once a day from the first baby tooth. From the second birthday, tooth brushing is recommended twice a day. In addition, children should never or rarely receive sweet drinks, and certainly not at night.

Nearly 30 percent of Germans have tooth decay
Other interesting results of the „Dental Report 2011“ For example, 28.9 percent of the population received at least one filling in 2009, and a good nine percent of Germans had at least one tooth pulled. In addition, about half of the total population at least once a year to a preventive care claim, which Germany in international comparison in midfield lie, the experts said at the launch of the „Dental Report 2011 "(fp)

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Picture: Rainer Sturm