From a very young age we’re taught the importance of brushing our teeth twice a day to stop plaque building up.
Plaque is a film of bacteria that coats the teeth, and if you don’t brush them properly, it can contribute to gum disease and tooth decay.
But recent research found more than half (51 percent) of UK adults skip toothbrushing once a week.
Research carried out by the Oral Health Foundation found one in eight (13 percent) people are not brushing their teeth regularly – at least three times a week.
It also found people are more than twice as likely to miss out on brushing their teeth at night (39 percent), compared to the morning (19 percent).
It was also revealed younger adults are far more likely to skip brushing – two in three (65 percent) under 35s miss out brushing their teeth once a week, compared to four in ten (40 percent) of over 55s.
Specialist Periodontist and Implant Surgeon Dr Sulaman Anwar wasn’t surprised by the findings because many of the patients he sees tend to treat their mouth in isolation to the rest of their body.
He said: “Patients often think that because they’re going to the dentist, we’re only going to focus on their teeth, but we’ve moved away from that now.
“We know that bacteria from the mouth will travel all around the body. Some will go towards the brain, and some will travel towards the heart.”
Follow Us on Instagram
