Gloucester Dentists Raise Concerns About People ‘Too Tired to Brush’
Dentists in Gloucestershire have raised concerns about oral health risks after the publication of a survey suggesting people are too tired to brush their teeth in the evening.
The survey revealed that 48% of participants had gone to bed without brushing their teeth and 39% blamed the lack of commitment to their oral hygiene routine on tiredness. 27% of people admitted that they were too lazy to brush their teeth twice a day, while a further 23% said that they forgot.
Dental practitioner Natty Burgess said that skipping brushing may not seem like a major issue, but the reality is that neglecting oral hygiene can contribute to all kinds of problems including bad breath, decay and gum disease. Studies also show that poor oral health increases the risk of potentially serious general health problems. Gum disease is linked to a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Mrs Burgess said that it only takes around 4 minutes a day to make a real difference to oral health and reduce the risk of both decay and gum disease.
The survey was conducted as part of a national campaign called Love Your Mouth and was commissioned by GlaxoSmithKline. The results showed that many people tend to neglect their teeth, even though a staggering 86% said that they were aware of the link between poor oral hygiene and oral disease.
As well as missing cleaning sessions, people also admitted to using water rather than toothpaste and some even said that they use their finger to clean, rather than a toothbrush.
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