Daily, preventive dental care is something that most Americans are pretty good at, but there’s still room for improvement.
That’s why dental professionals focus on educating their patients about good oral hygiene. We thought it would be fun to look at some studies that have been done about dental health and to look at our own attitudes and habits.
Phone or Brush?
A study done by the Mobile Marketing Association of Asia found that, out of the 6 billion people on the planet, 4.5 billion have a mobile phone but only 4.2 billion own a toothbrush.
A survey done by Bank of America asked millennials, age 18-24, what they thought was the most important product in their daily lives. Here’s how they responded, in order of importance:
- mobile phones
- toothbrush
- deodorant
Happily, most of us don’t have to choose between our phones and our toothbrush (or our deodorant).
The Delta Oral Health Survey
The Delta Dental Insurance Company surveyed over 1,000 Americans about their oral hygiene. Here’s what they found out about their daily habits:
- 55% brush their teeth twice a day
- 14% brush three or more times a day
- nearly one-third are brushing once a day…or not at all
- 23% have gone 2 or more days without brushing in the past year
- 41% floss at least once a day
- 20% never floss
- 33% have asked their partners to brush their teeth before kissing
- men are less likely to require brushing before kissing
Here are some numbers that reflect American attitudes toward dental care:
- 65% visit their dentist at least once a year
- 27% say the have oral health issues that need to be addressed
- 62% say that cost prevents them from getting their issues addressed
- 23% say that fear of the procedures prevents them from getting their issues addressed
- 83% understand the connection between oral health and overall health
- 55% understand the connection between gum disease and heart disease
- 44% understand the connection between diabetes and gum disease
Simple Solutions for Good Oral Health
Establishing a good, daily dental routine is the best way to prevent problems and catch them if they do occur.
Here are some guidelines from the American College of Prosthodontics for daily care:
- Brush at least twice a day.
- Brush for at least two minutes each time you brush
- Floss daily
- Eat a healthy diet and avoid snacks between meals
- Visit your dentist regularly
- If you get a cavity or a loose tooth, call for an appointment right away
Regular check-ups are just as important as regular daily care. Contact us to make an appointment and to ask any questions you may have about your health care routine.
