Dentists are urging the Government to reintroduce the scale and polish procedure free of charge to patients.

Previously in Ireland, under the medical card and PRSI dental schemes, dental patients were eligible to certain subsidies for treatments such as fillings and extractions, and they could avail of one free scale and polish each year.

However, a few years ago, these benefits were reduced to only cover the cost of one annual check-up.

Dentists have repeatedly criticised this move, which they believe will be more costly in the long-run, as many people are choosing to avoid the dentist due to the costs involved and will end up with poorer oral health as a result.

They are now calling for the reinstatement of the scale and polish procedure, in light of a recent US study which found that pregnant women and patients with chronic conditions, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, cut their medical bills by thousands of dollars if they underwent periodontal (gum) treatment.

According to the findings, those who completed treatment for gum disease saved much more money and had far fewer hospitalisations than those who did not have treatment.

The Irish Dental Association (IDA) said this study is significant because it is the first to quantify the benefit of periodontal treatment.

"Signs of gum disease include tender swollen gums, red or bleeding gums, loosening of teeth or bad breath. Routine oral care helps prevent and tackle these problems early on before they develop into complex and more expensive ones. Given the high incidence of gum disease in Ireland, it's important that everyone brushes their teeth twice a day and visits their dentist on a regular basis," commented IDA president, Dr Peter Gannon.

He said that this is especially important for people in susceptible groups, such as those with diabetes who are more prone to gum disease.

He insisted that this US study ‘shows the folly of doing away with the scale and polish procedure'.

"When this was available on the medical card and PRSI schemes, dentists were able to treat patients with the condition in a very cost-effective way. In fact both schemes provided an early warning system which saved lots of money for patients and our health system. The Government should reintroduce these treatments immediately. As the study above shows, it will be money well spent," Dr Gannon added.