One in three regularly forget to brush their teeth, survey claims

'Overall wellness is important to everyone, and total self-care means caring for the whole mouth too'

Playing with their toys is most likely a higher priority, but many of these brushes have been designed to be just as fun (iStock)

One in three people regularly forget to brush their teeth with mouth health low on the list of most people's priorities, a new survey has claimed.

Researchers who polled 2,000 adults found that many have an inconsistent approach to dental hygiene and are not doing enough to keep their teeth and mouths healthy.

One in 10 said they had used chewing gum instead of toothpaste to keep their teeth clean and 80 per cent said they are currently suffering with or have suffered with oral health problems - including sensitivity (33 per cent), cavities (32 per cent) and bleeding gums (31 per cent).

Mouth health was low on the list of respondents priorities when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle – behind diet, weight and mental health.

Just nine per cent of those polled said they considered it to be important – despite oral health problems being among the most common chronic diseases across the globe.

Six in 10 said they did not take sufficient care of their mouths and should make it more of a priority than they do.

The research, commissioned by Colgate Total, also found that 43 per cent of repondents did not know how to maintain a healthy mouth.

Experts said the majority of oral health problems can be prevented or reduced through daily oral care.

“When most people think about oral health they just think about their teeth," Dr Milad Shadrooh said. “The tongue, cheeks and gums harbour bacteria, needing a similar level of protection as teeth to help achieve whole mouth health.

“As a dentist, I actively work with my patients to help them appreciate the importance of whole mouth health. Through education, we can show how easily people can prevent problems before they start by equipping them with the right information and products to look after their mouth health at home.”

SWNS