New Oral Hygiene Survey Publishes The Shocking Oral Hygiene Habits of UK Residents

Oral cleanliness is an essential part of our general health, as it supports the prevention of bacteria and other types of infections our mouths are exposed to.

Dental hygiene, as much as some people would like to disregard it, cannot be exaggerated. This is simply because our oral health is just as important as our general health and it should be maintained properly.

Contrary to what most people think, not practicing good oral hygiene could have devastating consequences on our health and could cause certain diseases.

A recent oral hygiene survey has shed light on the most shocking but true oral hygiene habits of respondents in the UK. These include:

39% Of 25-34-Year-Olds Do Not Have Good Oral Hygiene Habits

39% of the respondents admitted brushing their teeth less than once a week, which means they stuff their mouths with food daily and leave the remains in their teeth.

Either they have early mornings or they get carried away by their daily activities. It appears that this age range forgets to brush their teeth.

You can imagine the number of food particles that may have built up within their teeth over the week. A good number of adults also admitted the use of sugarless gum as a substitute for brushing and flossing, but these can only clean the surface of their teeth short term.

Bad oral routines will encourage bacteria and different germs to live within the mouth, leading to unpleasant breath or teeth discoloration. There can also be more consequences, like tooth plaque build-up, which can cause toothaches and tooth decay.

One way to prevent the outcomes of this bad habit is to brush twice daily.

28% Of Respondents Are Comfortable Sharing a Toothbrush

28% of the survey respondents admitted sharing a toothbrush with someone else at least once. This could seem like a harmless act to some people, but the reality is that it is actually extremely dangerous to do so.

This is because our gums bleed sometimes during the brushing process, which exposes the person sharing a toothbrush to bloodstream diseases.

Gum disease is a perfect example of a dental issue can arise from sharing your toothbrush. This disease could lead to even much worse conditions such as tooth loss, tooth decay, and even severe toothache.

By avoiding the use of other people’s toothbrushes, you will prevent the mixing of bacteria and plaque with your teeth, and also protect your mouth and others.

33% of respondents don’t visit any dental hygienist

Because of the cost of hygienist treatment in the UK, people might consider spending the money for dental treatment on other things they consider more important.

Even though the cost of a hygienist visit is discouraging, it is still advisable to fix an appointment with a dental hygienist before any oral health problem arises.

Some of the respondents concede to practicing poor oral hygiene because there is no payment plan for it.

According to Hive’s campaign, a good way to encourage good oral hygiene habits is to incorporate Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) in workplaces.

This will help employees deal with not only personal problems but also health issues that might affect their work performance and overall well-being.

With the wide range of support EAP offers, workers will set some money aside for hygienist visits and improve their health. The importance of good oral hygiene habits should not be neglected and people should take responsibility regardless of their work positions.

Conclusion

The above results on the oral lives of adults in the UK are not so encouraging but, with the right information and insight, people can become conscious of their oral health.

Additionally, they can also learn about the benefits and diseases they stand to contact when they cannot develop proper oral hygiene habits. However, the percentage of adults with poor oral habits will drastically reduce when they maintain the best oral hygiene practices.

Hive Business, a dental accountants organisation based in Cornwall, UK, as part of the National Smile Month 2022, created this survey.