Half of adults are cutting corners in their oral hygiene routine according to new research, with one fifth opting for mouthwash over toothbrushing.
In a poll of 2,000 adults, 41% said they only brush their teeth once per day and 45% do not floss at all. A further 11% have never cleaned interdentally using floss or other products in their adult lives.
Almost one fifth (18%) said they brush for less than the recommended two minutes, while 12% have used their finger instead of a toothbrush.
Reasons given included laziness (33%), running late (22%) and not feeling well (26%).
Rosemarie Maka is marketing lead at Philips Sonicare, which commissioned the research. She said: ‘Cutting corners when it comes to oral hygiene is something a lot of adults do – whether they admit it or not. But neglecting your oral hygiene can have huge health impacts, which is something people don’t realise until it’s too late.
‘It’s been interesting to find out that even something so quick and simple as brushing for the recommended two minutes or giving your teeth a quick floss is not part of Brits’ everyday routine.’
Top 15 oral hygiene oversights
The survey identified the 15 most common ways that Brits cut corners with their oral hygiene:
- Skipped flossing
- Brushed only once a day
- Skipped brushing teeth before bed
- Skipped brushing after meals
- Brushed teeth for less than one minute
- Used mouthwash instead of brushing
- Brushed with an old toothbrush
- Skipped brushing in the morning
- Skipped brushing when running late
- Used a toothpick instead of floss
- Used chewing gum as a substitute
- Used a finger to brush teeth
- Brushed without toothpaste
- Used water to rinse instead of brushing
- Used a mouth spray instead of brushing.
What is the impact of poor oral hygiene?
The study also found that 79% feel people are judged on their oral hygiene and the appearance of their teeth. Around half (49%) said this could impact romantic relationships and 38% said it could affect employability.
Almost one quarter (23%) felt that poor oral hygiene has limited their daily activities. For example, they felt prevented from talking to people (46%), going on a date (29%) and posting images on social media with their teeth showing (27%).
Four in 10 (42%) reported assuming that someone does not care for themselves if they have discoloured teeth, bad breath, or other oral flaws.
The poll also explored the public’s level of contact with dental services. Only one quarter of the adults said they visit the dentist once per year, with 34% never having visited a dental hygienist. In fact, one in 10 did not know what a dental hygienist was.
The results highlighted the health impacts of poor oral hygiene. While 72% said that their oral health was good overall, 41% have had a filling, 27% a tooth extraction, and 17% have undergone root canal treatment.
‘One of the simplest ways to protect your overall health’
One fifth of those surveyed (21%) said they did not know how to make improvements to their oral health.
Dentist Nilesh Parmar said: ‘Brushing your teeth twice a day is one of the simplest ways to protect your overall health. Skipping your daily brush, floss or even hygienist check-up can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, bad breath, and can even have links to heart disease and other serious health conditions.
‘Dedicating two minutes, twice daily to your oral health routine can reap rewards; however, studies show that what most people think is two minutes is, on average, thirty seconds.
‘I recommend to my patients to use an electric brush with an in-built two-minute timer or go back to basics and listen to a song that lasts two minutes while brushing or using an egg timer in the bathroom to track time.’
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