DT News - UK - Bad teeth impair well-being of ten million UK citizens

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 13 July 2012

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BRISTOL, UK: A recently published study conducted by the UK dentistry group Oasis Dental Care has revealed that almost one third of the UK adult population admits to having bad teeth. About 70 per cent of these people also said that poor oral hygiene affects their mental well-being negatively, leading to personal problems.

According to the study, 14 million people in the UK feel that they have bad teeth.

The researchers observed that poor oral health generally led to a reluctance to smile. Almost 40 per cent (5.4 million) of the respondents said that they avoid smiling in general. In addition, the researchers found that bad teeth can affect a person’s self-esteem, as 31 per cent (4.4 million) said that having bad teeth makes them less confident.

The study suggests that people who neglect their oral health are more prone to psychological problems. More than two million (15 per cent) reported depression and 400,000 (3 per cent) said that they had stopped leaving the house altogether. One million (7 per cent) said that it affects their love life as well.

Women were found to be more sensitive to the effects of having bad teeth than men. While almost four in five (78 per cent) of the female respondents reported a negative impact on their emotional well-being, only 63 per cent of the male respondents did so, although more men admitted to having poor oral hygiene (33 per cent of men and 26 per cent of women).

According to the study, people living in the north-east of England are more likely to suffer from negative mental effects (83 per cent), while those from the east of England are least affected (52 per cent).

“The negative mental impacts of having bad teeth identified in our study go beyond vanity. Some members of the public are demonstrating some very serious psychological issues,” said Justin Ash, Chief Executive of Oasis Dental Care.

The company surveyed 2,041 UK adults between 27 and 29 April 2012.

Oasis Dental Care is a national dentistry group with over 200 practices and 850 dentists. Founded in 1996, the company offers the full range of general and specialist dentistry, serving both the NHS and the private market.

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