According to a new survey, seven million British people do not clean their teeth regularly; one in seven even admitted leaving it two days before brushing and 21% of those asked said they forgot to floss. The research, carried out by the British Dental Health Foundation, found that the public’s attitude towards oral hygiene has not improved over the last two years; a previous study in 2011 found that around 28% of Britons admitted they didn’t brush once in a 24 hour period, whereas one in seven people said they went longer than two days without cleaning their teeth.
Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, was surprised by the lack of basic oral hygiene, saying ‘It is troubling to learn that people still have a poor attitude when it comes to their oral health.’ Experts recommend that teeth should be brushed for at least two minutes twice a day and patients should visit the dentist once a year for a check-up.
Dr Carter added that anyone who neglects their oral health may find that they suffer with dental problems at a later date, such as tooth decay and gum disease, he said ‘Brushing last thing at night removes the deposits which have built up from eating and drinking during the day, as well as removing plaque. The last brush of the day also coats the teeth with fluoride, which is not washed away through eating and drinking, and continues to protect the tooth’s surface further during sleep. Flossing is also something that really is not a luxury – removing food stuck in between your teeth close to the gum lines is a really important step to preventing gum disease.’