We’re Accepting New Patients!

Read More Next

Looking for a caring and professional dental practice? We’re excited to welcome new patients to our clinic! Whether you’re due for a check-up, need treatment, or are looking to enhance your smile, our friendly team is here to help.
Contact us today to book your first appointment—we look forward to meeting you!

The dangers of skipping dental appointments

The dangers of skipping dental appointments


The dangers of skipping the dentist due to financial pressures

Many people are skipping dental appointments due to current financial pressures, but this can lead to serious oral health problems, carrying an increased risk for additional costs in the future. At Prospect Street Dental Practice we're seeing an increasing number of patients delaying their routine dental check-up and ignoring treatment requirements until they are in pain. This is concerning as regular appointments are essential to maintaining the best oral health and avoiding any problems progressing into more complex issues.

The risks of missing dental check-ups

Missing dental appointments can have serious consequences on your oral health. Without regular visits to your local dentist and hygienist, plaque and tartar and build up in those hard to reach areas, leading to decay and gum disease. In addition, many oral health problems are asymptomatic, meaning they don't cause dental pain or discomfort until they reach an advanced stage.

Delaying treatment can also lead to more expensive and invasive procedures down the line. For example a small cavity that could be easily filled will eventually require a root canal treatment or even extraction, if left untreated.

At each dental examination, your dentist will also check for signs of mouth cancer in the cheeks, palate, tongue, gums and lips. According to the latest NHS figures, around 8,300 people are diagnosed with mouth cancer in the UK each year. That's about 1 in every 50 cancers diagnosed. If mouth cancer is diagnosed early, a complete cure is often possible in up to 9 in 10 cases using surgery alone, so regular check-ups with your dentist is key.

Tips for affordable dental care

Whilst the cost of dental care can be a barrier for many people at this time, there are some options to help spread the cost of your care, making it more affordable:

  • Dental plans - signing up to a dental plan will help spread the cost of your annual routine dental care and hygienist appointments across 12 months. Many plans also offer discount on any clinically required work for plan members. Ask your local Reading  dentist about the plans they offer.
  • Employee dental insurance/plans - review your employee benefits to make sure that your not missing out on any reduced rate plans that you may be eligible for through your employer.
  • Commit to a good home oral care regime - Ensure thorough cleaning with an electric toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste for 2 minutes, twice a day, followed by mouth wash and flossing/interdental brushing, to keep any problems at bay. 
  • Take advantage of preventative care - regularly check-ups and cleaning are essential for preventing costly dental problems down the line.

Finding a local dentist in Reading 

If you are looking for a dentist in Reading, there are many resources to help you find the right one. Ask friends and family for trusted recommendations, check out patient reviews on platforms such as Google, Facebook, Trust Pilot or Yell, or search online to find a dentist that best meets your needs. 

In conclusion, skipping the dentist due to financial pressures can lead to serious oral health problems. Its important to take steps to make dental care more affordable. By finding a local dentist that you can trust and taking advantage of preventative care you can maintain good oral health and avoid costly procedures down the line.

At Prospect Street Dental Practice we have carefully built our dental practice in Reading up over many years through personal recommendation of friends and family, or on referral from their own dental practitioner; we are most grateful for this vote of confidence given to us. Check out our Google reviews below to hear more about what our patients think or us.

We commit to open and honest pricing for our patients. To view our latest fees, visit our fees page on the website.

Patient Reviews

People are talking about us

The biggest complement we receive is when our patients refer their friends and family to Prospect Street Dental Practice. In fact, we have built much of our practice on these valued, trusted recommendations over the years. Read our reviews to hear why our patients are recommending us…

Leave a Google Review

Patient reviews

1951 Reviews

5.0
GI

Graham Ison

Really friendly reception and lovely dentist, very reassuring as I can get quite anxious. Would recommend.

CC

Cathy Carr

Very happy, always a pleasure to visit Peter at Prospect Street Dentist. Friendly, professional and informative.

19th October 2025

Darragh took care to tell me what needed doing and I was particularly interested when he explained what the X-rays revealed

18th October 2025

Darragh and Rav were amazing

17th October 2025

Everyone there was polite, friendly and very professional. I felt and always have felt there very confident in the treatment I receive.

17th October 2025

Both my dentist and hygienist are very professional and friendly. They treat their patients with care.

BM

Brenda Martin

I've been attending Prospect Street Dental Practice for about 2 years now and my experience with Marina has been excellent. She is always very thorough and professional. I'm a very nervous person but she makes me feel at ease. She always explains what work on my teeth needs to be done, and I trust her expertise. I would highly recommend Marina.

SB

Saty Bhakri

Darragh is excellent at explaining what he is doing and looking for and what the long term implications may be for my teeth.

15th October 2025

The new facilities are lovely and I have been receiving a fantastic service for many years. I love Daragh and Jill - explain things so clearly and ‘tell me off’ about my dental hygiene in a ‘nice’ way - providing advice not criticism

14th October 2025

Friendly hygeniest and reception. Convenient location. Clean tidy buildings. Only marred by dental nurse who didn't really seem to know what she was doing.

11th October 2025

Darragh was fantastic. He eased all my concerns with his thorough explanations of my issues and potential treatments. I felt very well informed and he dealt with my dental pain well.

11th October 2025

A great team who I really trust

9th October 2025

Have confidence developed over several years with the dentist

9th October 2025

I had an exceptional experience with Jill the hygienist. Kind, helpful, highly skilled, professional, caring and really encouraging. I have been back again within a week to continue my treatment and I was so happy I immediately booked my next appointment. I am so glad I discovered this practice and Jill.

9th October 2025

Dr Josephine was very good at explaining the issues with my teeth and also with the actions she needed to take, together with the actions that I need to take on a daily basis.

8th October 2025

Peter was competent courteous and highly professional.

8th October 2025

Highly professional and friendly team from reception through to all treatments.

7th October 2025

The receptionist was polite and kind. I was not able to fill in the form beforehand the appointment, but she sorted it out very smoothly.The doctor is always kind and professional and my kids love him, which is important as they have never felt anxious about going to the dentist.

7th October 2025

The dentist was friendly and accommodating. She listed all the possible treatments and costs so i could make the best choice for me both treatment wise and financially.

7th October 2025

Peter Lindehome is excellent- have been going to him for over 10 years

Prev Previous
Next Next