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April may be almost over but that doesn’t mean you can forget about your Oral health until next April! Make sure you see your dentist regularly. If it’s been over a year, make an appointment! Some people should see the dentist more often than that!
In March, Crest and Oral-B released the findings from their second annual Great Canadian Smile Survey. Here are some excerpts:
Will a winning smile help Canadians win in the game of life? According to findings from the second annual Crest and Oral-B Great Canadian Smile Survey, released today in advance of National Oral Health Month in April, the majority of Canadians think it can. In fact, 72 per cent of Canadians feel that having an unattractive smile or poor oral hygiene is a barrier to professional success, with 5 per cent saying they’ve personally experienced discrimination because of their smile.
The smile also reigns supreme when Canadians judge attractiveness. Thirty three per cent of survey respondents state that the smile is the most important factor when considering the attractiveness of others, followed by the eyes at 30 per cent. Physical fitness ranks a distant third at 18 per cent. As well, 58 per cent of Canadians expect people to have white teeth.
Interestingly, 32 per cent of Canadians believe they follow the dentist-recommended regimen of brushing, flossing and rinsing, yet only 16 per cent reported that they actually do.
Oral Health Tips from Crest and Oral-B:
Three simple steps to a healthy-looking smile
Crest and Oral-B encourage Canadians to follow an easy three-step routine of brushing, flossing and rinsing to maintain a healthy-looking smile year-round:
1. Brush: twice a day for two minutes each time using an all-in-one toothpaste and a good toothbrush. Remember to replace brushes or brush heads every three months for best cleaning results. While 52 per cent of Canadians brush their teeth at least twice a day, 4 per cent say they haven’t used a toothbrush in the last 12 months.
2. Floss: once a day. It’s essential to help remove plaque from in-between teeth and under the gumline. Without flossing, one third of the tooth surface is left unchecked, leaving bacteria behind that can cause plaque and bad breath. More than one-third of Canadians floss at least once daily. In contrast, almost one third of Canadians haven’t flossed in the past 12 months.
3. Rinse: twice a day for 30 seconds each time with an antigingivitis / antiplaque rinse to help eliminate additional plaque-causing bacteria. 43 per cent of Canadians make time for rinsing at least once or more a day – up 3 per cent from last year.
If you have problems with gingivitis, try these products from Crest:
Crest Pro Health Multi-Protection Mouthwash
“Get a clean, healthy-looking mouth with Crest Pro-Health Rinse. It kills germs that can cause plaque, gingivitis and bad breath without the burning sensation of alcohol. It comes in two great flavours—Refreshing Clean Mint and Cool Wintergreen.” – source
My Thoughts: I normally can’t stand mouthwashes/rinses because of the extreme burning sensation and minty taste (I’m not a mint fan although I can tolerate spearmint over peppermint.) However I can USE this mouthwash. Being alcohol free means it doesn’t burn your mouth and the peppermint is not too overpowering.
Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection
My Thoughts: I generally use either Crest or Colgate toothpaste but usually only use the basic kind, not any specialty toothpaste. However my teeth have been quite sensitive lately. If I eat chocolate on my left side, it hurts. Or drink cold water. I’ve been using the Clinical Gum protection toothpaste for only about a week but I already notice a difference. It IS Easter after all and I DO LOVE Chocolate!
* I received a sample of the mouthwash and toothpaste to try but was not compensated for this post. I shared the information because I believe oral health is important. See Disclosure Policy for more information.
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