The numbers are improving, but there is still room for improvement, it was said at a press conference on the 20th “Oral Health Month” on Wednesday in Vienna. In 2018, 74 percent said they brush twice a day.
500 people between the ages of 16 and 75 were surveyed nationwide on behalf of the company CP GABA from June 30th to July 5th. Selected results were presented together with representatives of the Dental Association on Wednesday. The consumer goods group has been behind the “Oral Health Month” to raise awareness in September for 20 years.
Fatigue is the main reason given for not brushing your teeth, especially in the evening: More than half (57 percent) of those who don’t like cleaning admit this. This was mentioned most frequently (72 percent) in the 16 to 29 age group. 27 percent stated that they had simply forgotten about it.
More than a quarter of all people surveyed said they had completely suspended or reduced dental visits since mid-March 2020 due to the pandemic. Respondents between the ages of 35 and 44 said this most often. A fifth (21 percent) are afraid of going to the dentist.
Women put far more focus on the topic, as it turns out, said the specialists. The youngest and the oldest have the most catching up to do. The President of the Vienna State Chamber of Dentists, Bettina Schreder, pleaded for the inclusion of dental examinations in the mother-child passport. Oral health affects the entire organism.
As the study again confirms, women are generally more conscientious than men when it comes to oral health: 92 percent of women brush their teeth at least twice a day – and 72 percent of men. Dental floss has also overtaken mouthwash this year: four years ago, 36 percent used mouthwash, now only 24 percent use it for daily oral hygiene. Dental floss is currently a fixed part of this for 29 percent (2018: 25 percent). Men like interdental brushes and at 24 percent use them above average (17 percent overall) as part of their daily dental care.
“The vast majority of cases of tooth decay occur between the teeth,” explained Burkhard Selent, head of the scientific department at CP GABA. Therefore, through the interaction of mouthwash, dental floss and interdental brushes, even hard-to-reach spaces can be cleaned and plaque and bacteria removed. There is still a knowledge gap in this regard.
Source: Nachrichten
