When it comes to attracting someone, 43 percent of us say that we notice somebody’s face first, so we may want to take care of our teeth as a third of us admit we forget to brush our teeth!
One in three Brits regularly forget to brush their teeth, it has emerged.
Researchers who polled 2,000 adults found many have a lackadaisical approach to dental hygiene and aren’t ‘doing enough’ to keep their teeth and mouths healthy.
Further to this, one in 10 have used chewing gum instead of toothpaste to keep their teeth ‘clean’.
Eighty per cent are currently suffering with or have suffered with oral health problems – including sensitivity (33 per cent), cavities (32 per cent) and bleeding gums (31 per cent).
But it’s not just taking care of teeth where we many of those polled are falling short.
Commissioned by Colgate Total, which its makers claim fights bacteria on teeth, tongue, cheeks and gums, the research found 43 per cent have no idea how to maintain a healthy mouth.
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Davina McCall, Colgate Total ambassador, said: “I’ve learnt today that you shouldn’t rinse your mouth out after brushing – you should keep all that fluoride in your mouth and let it settle – spit don’t rinse.
“Whole mouth health is so important, we don’t think about it enough – it’s just as important as other areas of health and fitness.
“It’s such an obvious thing that we are forgetting, but our teeth are only 20 per cent of our mouth – we shouldn’t neglect the other 80 per cent including the cheeks, tongue and gums.”
The research also found mouth health is well down the pecking order of priorities when it comes to a healthy lifestyle – behind our diet, weight and mental health.
In fact, just nine per cent consider mouth health to be important – despite oral health problems being among the most common chronic diseases across the globe.
Six in 10 admit they don’t take sufficient care of their mouths and should make it more of a priority than they do.
Experts say the majority of oral health problems can be prevented or reduced through daily oral care.
Despite this 57 per cent don’t think gingivitis can be prevented with a stringent oral care routine.
Similarly, the Colgate Total research carried out through OnePoll found two-thirds don’t believe such a routine can stop tooth decay.
Don’t forget your tongue
Dr Milad Shadrooh, better known as ‘the singing dentist’, said, “When most people think about oral health they just think about their teeth.
“The tongue, cheeks and gums harbour bacteria, needing a similar level of protection as teeth to help achieve whole mouth health.
“As a dentist, I actively work with my patients to help them appreciate the importance of whole mouth health.”
“Through education, we can show how easily people can prevent problems before they start by equipping them with the right information and products to look after their mouth health at home.”
Dr Patricia Verduin, chief technology officer, Colgate-Palmolive Company, added, “Overall wellness is important to everyone, and total self-care means caring for the whole mouth, too.
“We rely on our mouth to eat, drink, speak and laugh, but often neglect areas beyond teeth.”
