Survey Reveals Brits Unaware Of Full Impact Of Oral Health
A survey has revealed that most Brits are unaware of the full impact of poor oral health. The survey, which was conducted by Simplyhealth, showed that 7 out of 10 people are aware of the link between poor oral health and an increased risk of oral cancer and cardiovascular disease, but a much lower proportion of people were aware of the connection between oral disease and pancreatic cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and dementia.
Even more alarming that the lack of knowledge about potential risks associated with oral health was the number of people who said that they would not change their oral hygiene and lifestyle habits, despite that fact that they knew that poor oral health would increase their risk of serious illnesses. In the survey of 5,000 adults, 22 per cent of people said that they would not change their habits to try and reduce the risk of developing severe health conditions.
The poll also revealed that 20 per cent of adults fail to brush their twice a day, as recommended by dentists, and the figure is even higher, at 25%, for 25-34 year olds.
James Glover, Simplyhealth spokesman, said that it was encouraging that more and more people seem to be aware of the link between oral and general health. However, it is alarming that a quarter of people do not brush their teeth twice a day and also that people are unwilling to change their habits even though they are aware of the risks associated with poor oral health.
Simplyhealth dental adviser Michael Thomas, said that prevention is always preferable to cure and encouraged people to take good care of their teeth and gums to reduce their risk of oral diseases and general health conditions. Mr Thomas advises brushing the teeth twice a day, keeping an eye on your sugar intake and visiting your dentist every 6 months.
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