The key quote
‘One in five patients delay going to the dentist because they can’t afford to see one — meaning 100,000 end up in hospital with preventable problems with their teeth’
Jeremy Corbyn
Analysis
Jeremy Corbyn’s claim goes beyond what the evidence tells us. The “one in five” claim is accurate, but old. It is what an NHS survey found in late 2009-10. Some 19 per cent of respondents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland said they had delayed dental treatment at some point because of the cost.
Why such out of date figures? That survey happens only every 10 years. So while it is the latest data, we cannot be sure “one in five” is still accurate. Just over 100,000 hospital admissions in England in 2018-19 were related to tooth decay, and another 17,000 to gum disease. These admissions are not necessarily all different people — one person can have multiple admissions.
Suggesting all 100,000 admissions are tied directly to people not being able to afford dental care is not backed up by the evidence, which does not tell us the circumstances behind those admissions to hospital.
That said, there is some evidence linking delayed dental care for cost reasons and poor dental health.
Verdict
You cannot directly link dental costs to 100,000 hospital admissions.
Full Fact is the UK’s independent factchecking organisation. For sources and more factchecks go to fullfact.org
