Children in Yorkshire and the Humber have some of the highest rates of dental decay in the country and 29 per cent of adults in the region say they feel self conscious about the state of their teeth.
Across the country dental neglect contributed to 25,000 children being hospitalised and around 50 per cent of adults haven’t visited the dentist for more than two years.
Mydentist’s first TV advertising campaign ‘Everyone Deserves a Great Smile’ aired on April 11 at 12.55pm during Loose Women and will run for two weeks alongside local radio and billboard advertising.
Voiced by TV personality, Gyles Brandreth, the ad focuses on the morning routine of seven characters including a young mum and her daughter, a pensioner with a spinning bow tie, a ‘mini-me’ bodybuilder and carnival queen.
Karan Forbes, director of region at mydentist, which has 650 practices across the UK, said: “Each of our characters start their day with a healthy, happy smile and that’s something we can help people in Yorkshire and the Humber achieve by providing easy access to our 50 NHS practices and by raising awareness of the benefits of visiting a dentist regularly.
“Yorkshire has one of the highest rates of dental decay among children. Nationally tens of thousands of children are admitted to hospital due to decay which is staggering, especially when you think that until the age of 16, and when in full time education to the age of 18, NHS dental treatment is free.
“Adults in the region are also guilty of neglecting their dental health. We find the vast majority will only visit a dentist when they have a problem or they are in pain. But by having regular dental check-ups patients may be able to prevent problems occurring while also enabling their dentist to check for signs of oral cancer and detect other illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and strokes – all of which can be linked to oral hygiene.”
Figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show regional variations in dental visits. In Doncaster, 70 per cent of adults saw a dentist in the last two years compared to just 52 per cent in Bradford.
Mydentist has 50 practices across Yorkshire and the Humber and all are accepting new NHS patients. To find your nearest practice or book an appointment online visit www.mydentist.co.uk