Do you know the five reasons why Vietnamese people are afraid to go to the dentist?

More than 90% of Vietnamese people have dental problems, mainly tooth decay, gingivitis, periodontitis, the need for treatment is very high, but in reality, patients often come to the doctor late, delay, or even do not access treatment.

Health education communication program deployed to the community - Photo: BSCC

This delay can lead to serious complications: tooth loss, jaw bone damage, facial infection, affecting chewing function, quality of life and increasing future treatment costs.

So why do Vietnamese people delay dental treatment? According to doctors, during their practice, they have recorded the following five basic reasons:

Reason 1: Not being provided with adequate knowledge about oral diseases and the importance of early treatment, knowledge about oral diseases and their progression cycle is still limited.

One root cause is that people are not equipped with enough knowledge about the progression of oral diseases: causes, consequences when left untreated, treatment methods, and benefits of early treatment. Oral diseases such as tooth decay, gingivitis, and periodontitis can start silently, initially with only plaque and slight bleeding of the gums... and if left untreated, can progress to deeper tissue damage, tooth loss, and infection.

Surveys in many countries also show that people's lack of understanding of the seriousness of the problem when the disease is severe is one of the reasons for delaying treatment.

One of the rather dangerous viewpoints, especially in the elderly, is that tooth loss, toothache, enamel erosion, gingivitis, etc. are considered "evident signs of aging" - thereby reducing motivation for intervention and treatment.

Reason 2: Treatment costs and financial barriers, dental costs are often high compared to income.

A major barrier to treatment is the cost of dental care – especially in cities where the cost of living is already high. For low-income people, dental treatment can easily become a “non-priority health expense” compared to other survival needs (food, housing, education, and other medical care).

Although specific studies on dental costs in Vietnam rarely analyze in detail the reasons for delay, from practice and dental service surveys, cost is still considered a major barrier in accessing dental services.

In Vietnam, health insurance and health benefits mainly focus on common medical and surgical fields. Dental services, especially intensive or high-tech treatments, are often not covered by insurance or only covered to a very limited extent. This leaves patients responsible for all or most of the costs - increasing fear and delaying treatment.

Reason 3: Fear of pain and dental procedures.

For many people, going to the dentist evokes fear: fear of pain, fear of prolonged treatment, fear of complications, fear of additional costs (additional treatment). This mentality is a very common barrier in dentistry not only in Vietnam but also in the world .

An individual who has had a painful experience with a filling, extraction, or scaling in the past may remember it and be haunted by it, thus avoiding the next visit. Even with the advancements in technology (anesthesia, sedation, painless techniques, etc.), the patient may still not trust or doubt the effectiveness of pain relief.

Reason 4: Uneven distribution of dental network.

The team of doctors and dental assistants examines teeth with the support of modern working equipment - Photo: BSCC

A very obvious obstacle is that high-quality, fully-equipped specialty dental facilities are concentrated in large cities, while rural and remote areas lack specialists and equipment.

Inaccessible areas often require long distance travel to large cities for treatment, which is costly and time-consuming. At the grassroots level of health care (health stations, commune health centers), specialized dental services are often not fully equipped, sometimes there are no dentists, no specialized equipment, no ability to take X-rays, specialized periodontal treatment, implants, etc.

Reason 5: Cultural influence and word of mouth.

The notion of "mild illness can be self-cured" and "folk remedies to relieve pain" has become ingrained in our lifestyle. The mentality of "self-treating", "self-healing" or using folk remedies is common among our population.

When having toothache, tooth decay or swollen gums, many people try to treat themselves at home such as: gargling with salt water, betel leaf water, ginger wine. Taking antibiotics or over-the-counter painkillers. Using folk remedies passed down by word of mouth (applying garlic, lemon, betel leaves...), thereby delaying going to the doctor.

What does it take to maintain oral health?

To solve the above 5 problems, according to Professor Vo Truong Nhu Ngoc - Deputy Director of the Institute of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Training (Hanoi Medical University), it is necessary to:

1. Strengthen community education: Raise awareness of oral diseases and the benefits of early treatment through schools, media and primary health care.

2. Reduce financial barriers: Cost transparency, expand dental insurance coverage, and develop a variety of dental insurance packages.

3. Reduce dental fear: Apply painless technology, create a friendly space, and explain clearly to reassure patients.

4. Expanding service access: Developing satellite dental clinics, mobile dental vehicles, and remote consultations to serve remote areas.

5. Change self-treatment habits: Promote communication, promote evidence-based prevention and treatment measures, and use "real stories" to encourage regular dental check-ups.

NHU NGOC - HAI ANH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ban-co-biet-nam-ly-do-khien-nguoi-viet-ngai-den-nha-si-kham-rang-20251021080544436.htm