Press - Facts and figures
Facts and figures
Facts and figures
With your support, National Smile Month reaches around 50 million people each year and is the biggest and most effective annual reminder of the importance of good oral health. But there is still more work to do. A third of all children starting school have tooth decay. Around a quarter of all adults say they have not visited a dentist in the past two years. Three in every ten adults suffer from regular dental pain. A quarter of adults don’t brush their teeth twice a day and over four-fifths of the population have at least one filling.
Poor oral health doesn’t just cause problems inside the mouth. A smile is hugely important to our personalities, self-confidence, relationships and success. General health is also at risk too as studies continue to associate poor oral health to serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, strokes, pneumonia, premature babies and other major conditions. With a good oral health routine, most of these conditions are preventable and your support during National Smile Month can make a big difference.
The following information gives a snapshot of the nation’s oral health. The information is useful to help you decide your priorities and who you would like to help during National Smile Month 2012.
Brushing twice a day
25 per cent of adults don’t brush twice a day, including a third of menPeople who only brush once a day are a third more likely to develop tooth decayCleaning habits
42 per cent of adults use just a toothbrush and toothpaste for their oral care 31 per cent of adults use mouthwash 21 per cent of adults use dental flossVisits to the dentist
50 per cent of adults say they visit their dentist every 6 months21 per cent of adults say they visit their dentist annuallyVisiting the dentist annually reduces the risk of tooth decay by 60 per cent Nearly one in ten people in the UK aren’t registered with a dentist.Reasons for visiting the dentist
27 per cent of adults only visit their dentist when they have a problem9 per cent of adults visit their dentist with pain90 per cent of visits to the dentist are for check-ups The UK is one of the most likely nations in Europe to visit their dentist for a check-up – ranked second (72%), after the Netherlands (79%). Teeth/Smiles are rated the second most important attraction feature, after personality, and the most important body feature surveyed (including body shape, height, hair, face and eyes).Which dentist?
70 per cent of adults use the NHS for their dental care27 per cent of adults use a private dentist32 per cent of adults use a private dentist because they can’t find an NHS oneTooth loss and dentures
6 per cent of adults have no natural teeth74 per cent of all adults have had a tooth extracted19 per cent of adults have full or partial denturesFillings and other treatments
84 per cent of all adults have at least one or more fillingsEach adult has an average of 7 fillingsOther oral health indicators
31 per cent of adults have tooth decay66 per cent of adults have visible plaque29 per cent of adults suffer from regular dental painChildren’s oral health
Over three in every ten children starting school (31 per cent) have tooth decayA third of children aged 12 have visible dental decayAffordability
88 per cent of adults have no dental insurance63 per cent of adults use NHS dentists for cost reasons19 per cent of adults have delayed their treatment due to cost26 per cent of adults said cost has an effect on the type of dental treatment they opt for19 per cent said that they had delayed dental treatment for the same reasonDental Phobia
15 per cent of adults who have been to a dentist suffer from extreme dental anxiety. Visiting the Dentist is ranked number one (22%) for making people nervous, closely followed by heights (19%). Nearly 10 times as many people (22%) are nervous of visiting their dentists, compared to their doctor (2%).Platinum Sponsors:
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