Research conducted by the Oral Health Foundation has uncovered the most likely times we are to brush our teeth.
More than 2,000 Brits took part in the poll, which showed on average those who brush twice-daily do so at 7:00am and then again at 9:03pm.
Taken as part of the charity’s National Smile Month campaign, the poll aimed to discover typical brushing times for Brits in the morning and at night.
However, the charity has raised concerns after the research also uncovered that one in three (33%) fail to brush their teeth twice a day while around seven million regularly skip brushing altogether, often citing ‘a lack of time’ for putting long-term oral health at serious risk.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, discussed why brushing for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste is so important to our health.
Dr Carter said: ‘Brushing twice a day is one of the cornerstones of maintaining good oral health, that is why we have made it one of our three key messages, along with visiting the dentist regularly and cutting down on how often we have sugary foods and drinks.
‘Regular brushing is vital as it helps to removes plaque. If the plaque isn’t removed, it continues to build up, feeding on the bits of food left behind and causing tooth decay and gum disease.
‘Many people say they simply don’t have time and blame running late and their partners or children to failing to brush, but it only takes two minutes twice a day, surely we can all find that amount of time. To have so many people not brushing regularly is incredibly worrying, and could be one of the major reasons behind why 31% of adults in the UK suffer from tooth decay.’
Interestingly, the study also found that women seem to have better brushing habits than men, with 73% brushing twice a day compared to 62% of men.
National Smile Month, which celebrated its 40th year this year, is the UK’s largest and longest running charity initiative aimed at increasing awareness of importance of oral health.
