UK teeth better cared for than in US - official
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- Published: Tuesday, 28 March 2017 07:46
- Written by News Editor
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A survey of 12 countries commissioned by the FDI World Dental Federation show that Britons are taking much better care of their teeth than Americans, but are lagging behind Brazilians, Mexicans, South Africans and Poles when it comes to making the right choices to maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Britain is not too bad at oral hygiene, according to the YouGov poll of 13,000 people, but dentists said that Britons were still better at knowing what they should be doing than actually doing it.
In the survey more than half of Britons said that they tried to avoid eating large amounts of sugar, compared with 40 per cent in the US. And almost two thirds in this country said they brushed their teeth for two minutes twice a day, compared with 51 per cent across the Atlantic. Two thirds also saw a dentist every year here, compared with 49 per cent in the US, while 78 per cent recognised that bleeding gums was a red flag, requiring a visit to the dentist, compared with 65 per cent in the US.
Britons were also less likely to fall for dental myths, the findings showed. Only 30 per cent said they brushed their teeth straight after a meal, compared with 46 per cent in the US. Dentists recommend waiting at least half an hour after eating before brushing, to avoid damaging enamel. Just 37 per cent of us washed our mouths out with water after brushing, compared with 60 per cent in America. This is not recommended because it can wash away the fluoride delivered by toothpaste.
BDA Chair Mick Armstrong said: “Brits might not be living up to the Austin Powers stereotype, but there really is no room for complacency when it comes to oral health. The public seem to know the risks, but don’t seem to be changing their behaviour. Without a step change in attitudes a preventable disease will continue to blight the lives of millions and put huge pressure on our NHS. Your teeth and gums can’t be an afterthought. We need the public to take ownership of their oral health, and for the authorities to really start hammering these messages home.”
Other findings include:
- Based on survey data from 12 nations, the UK ranks 3rd on awareness on the steps to ensure good oral health, behind just Canada and New Zealand, but 6th on actually taking action, behind Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Poland.
- 78% of UK respondents can identify the need to seek help from a dentist when recognising signs of poor oral health (e.g. bleeding gums), yet only 41% would seek advice.
- Three out of four (78%) of respondents recognise the need to avoid excessive amounts of sugar. Only half (53%) of respondents said they are trying to cut down.
- 82% of people surveyed agreed that visiting a dentist once a year is good oral health practice, but only 66% actually did.
- Britons are taking better care of their teeth than Americans. Only 40% of US respondents say they avoid sugar (compared to 53% of Brits), 51% of US respondents say they brush for 2 minutes twice a day (compared to 64% of Brits), and only 49% see a dentist every year (compared to 66% of Brits). The US ranks 9th for awareness on how to maintain good oral health, and 10th for taking action.
- Many Brits are following bad practice. Almost one third (30%) of UK respondents think it is important to brush your teeth straight after every main meal. Whereas experts recommend waiting at least 30 minutes after eating to brush your teeth to avoid weakening tooth enamel. Nearly half (48%) of UK respondents say they rinse their mouth out with water after brushing their teeth. In fact, rinsing can actually remove the fluoride delivered during brushing.
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