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One In Three Brits Forget To Clean Their Teeth, Study Finds

One In Three Brits Forget To Clean Their Teeth, Study Finds

A survey of 2,000 people found some shocking results

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Even those of us who aren't so keen on brushing our teeth can usually be persuaded to admit that it's a necessary evil, but it would seem many people don't actually do it as often as they should.

According to a recent study, one in three Brits regularly forgets to brush their gnashers - while only nine percent of people consider it to be a priority.

A massive 60 percent of the 2,000 polled in the survey - carried out by Colgate - also admitted they don't take as much care of their teeth as they should.

Amazingly, one in 10 even confessed to using chewing gum as opposed to toothpaste to keep their teeth 'clean', despite 80 percent of respondents having suffered from sensitivity, cavities and bleeding gums in the past.

Colgate Total ambassador Davina McCall said: "I've learned that you shouldn't rinse your mouth out after brushing - you should keep all that fluoride in your mouth and let it settle. Spit, don't rinse.

The study found that a third of Brits forget to brush their teeth.
PA

"Whole mouth health is so important, we don't think about it enough - it's just as important as other areas of health and fitness.

"It's such an obvious thing that we are forgetting, but our teeth are only 20 percent of our mouths - we shouldn't neglect the other 80 percent including the cheeks, tongue and gums."

Basically it seems Brits just don't care about oral hygiene, putting it behind diet, weight, and mental health on our list of priorities.

Experts say if people took more care of themselves then the majority of oral health problems could be prevented - or at least reduced - yet 57 percent don't think gingivitis is preventable.

Two thirds of people simply don't believe even the most stringent of routines can stop tooth decay.

via GIPHY

Dr Milad Shadrooh said: "When most people think about oral health they just think about their teeth.

"The tongue, cheeks and gums harbour bacteria, needing a similar level of protection as teeth to help achieve whole mouth health.

"Through education, we can show how easily people can prevent problems before they start by equipping them with the right information and products to look after their mouth health at home."

Brushing might not always be the best option, however.

Professionals says the majority of oral health problems could be prevented or alleviated by people taking better care of their teeth.
PA

How so, you ask? Well, according to experts, your toothbrush could actually be covered in poo. Lovely.

If you keep your brush in the bathroom - where else do you keep it? - the chances are it is covered in faecal matter which could harbour bugs like E. coli and norovirus.

The study found that a toothbrush can contain at least 200,000 bacteria per square inch - more than the average toilet seat.

So there you have it, oral hygiene is no laughing matter.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News, Interesting, Health