Visiting the dentist regularly is crucial for maintaining good oral health, yet many New Zealanders avoid it, leading to long-term health and financial consequences. It’s easy to think that skipping the dentist saves money, but in reality, it’s the emergency visits and treatments for advanced problems that drive up the costs. The solution? Focusing on prevention.
While dental care in New Zealand for adults is largely privatized, making many believe it’s unaffordable, regular check-ups and preventive care are far less costly than dealing with a dental emergency.
The Real Cost of Emergency Dental Visits
Avoiding the dentist might feel like a cost-saving measure, but waiting until there’s a problem doesn’t pay off in the long run. According to the report "Tooth Be Told – The Case for Universal Dental Care in Aotearoa New Zealand", around 250,000 adults in New Zealand have teeth removed every year due to severe decay. That’s because many are waiting until a toothache or infection push them to seek treatment.
When preventive care is ignored, dental problems become more advanced. The Ministry of Health found that 43.5% of New Zealanders have had at least one tooth removed due to decay, infection, or gum disease. While tooth extractions, root canals, and other invasive treatments can easily cost 10 times more than a routine check-up.
Why Prevention Is Crucial
Dental problems like cavities and gum disease don’t get better on their own. They progress silently and worsen over time. Waiting until you feel pain typically means the problem has been there for far too long and has now reached a critical point, making treatments more complex—and far more expensive. Most oral issues, such as tooth decay or gum disease, are largely preventable. Regular check-ups help catch early signs of these conditions, allowing dentists to intervene before they become serious.
However, the real difference lies in what you do daily. Maintaining a consistent oral hygiene routine—brushing, flossing, and using fluoride—can prevent most of these problems from developing in the first place. Prevention doesn’t start at the dentist’s office, it begins with the habits you practice every day. While a preventive dental visit could lead to a change in habit that detours the course of a possible dental issue lurking in the background.
Prevention: The Affordable Solution
Many people think that regular hygiene treatment and dental check-ups are expensive, but they’re far more affordable than emergency procedures. Here’s a quick comparison:
Regular check-up: less $200.
Emergency treatment (root canal, extraction, deep filling, etc.): Anywhere from $395 to $1,750.
The costs mentioned are estimates and can vary depending on your location and the specific treatment required. Always consult your dentist for accurate pricing based on your individual treatment needs.
Saving money starts at Home
One of the biggest advantages of Easy Dental is that you don’t need to wait for a problem to arise or feel lost about what to do. Prevention can begin at home with small, daily actions.
Sign up to Easy Dental today and start your journey towards affordable, proactive oral health. With Emma’s expert guidance, personalised risk assessments, and preventive care tips, you’ll have everything you need to ensure that your next visit to the dentist is just a routine check-up, not a financial burden.
The reality is clear—avoiding the dentist until there’s a more serious issue leads to bigger, more expensive problems. By prioritising prevention and making use of affordable, accessible resources like Easy Dental, you can avoid emergency dental bills and ensure your teeth stay healthy.