Half of UK adults (48%) consistently miss brushing at least a quarter of their teeth, a new study has found.
The study found that habits are worse amongst younger generations, with only 29% of those aged 18-34 years old reaching the whole of their mouth when they brush, compared with 55% for those over aged over 55.
It also found that only 61% of adults have never been shown by their dentist or hygienist how to brush their teeth correctly.
‘This survey has revealed some intriguing insights into our oral health regimes and patients’ relationships with the dental health professionals who care for them,’ Professor Elizabeth Kay MBE, foundation dean Peninsula Dental School, said.
‘There is no substitute for good tooth brushing practices when it comes to maintaining a healthy mouth, yet it would appear from the survey that there is a lot more that we can all do to achieve this effectively.’
Brushlink
A quarter (24%) of adults say somebody in their household has had dental treatment that could have been prevented with better oral hygiene.
The survey, carried out by Brushlink, has been released to coincide with the launch of its new dental coaching device and app, which can track and coach people on their brushing frequency, duration and angles.
The information can also be shared with dentists, if consented, and can be used with any toothbrush, manual or electric.
‘As a practising dentist, I have always been shocked by the lack of feedback between patient and dentist,’ Dr Dev Patel, founder and CEO of Brushlink, said.
‘We have always had to rely on what we see inside the mouth every six months rather than having any reliable data about how people are brushing.
‘I invented Brushlink to plug this gap by providing coaching to patients but also accurate monitoring of everything they are doing with their toothbrush between dentist visits.’
