Just in time for Valentine’s Day, dentalplans.com has released the results of its Battle of the Sexes survey, gauging how attitudes towards oral health and how they impact relationships have changed in the four years since the company’s inaugural poll.
For example, bad breath is a dating deal-breaker for 40% of those surveyed in 2019, compared to 50% in 2015. Also, only 38% of women and 32% of men floss every day. Six out of 10 people think women take better care of their teeth than men do. Also, 73% of women and 64% of men brush their teeth twice a day. In other results:
- 81% of women and 71% of men will tell their partner when something is stuck in their teeth.
- 68% of women and 55% of men will tell their partner when they have bad breath.
- 29% of women and 20% of men will suggest that their partner should whiten their teeth.
- 30% of women and 20% of men will encourage their partner to get cosmetic dental work.
But while men and women both agree that taking care of your teeth and gums at home is important, there has been a significant drop in the number of people who get regular dental checkups and cleanings.
“Preventive dental care is essential for good health, and it’s troubling to see that number dropping,” said Bill Chase, senior vice president of marketing at dentalplans.com. “This data point is the reason we believe in our mission.”
According to the survey, 68% of people brush their teeth twice a day, compared to only 65% in 2015. But only 47% get regular checkups with their doctor and dentist, compared to 58% four years ago.
This data aligns with a rise in the national uninsured rate, dentalplans.com says, citing a Gallup poll that found that 11.9% of Americans did not have health insurance in the fourth quarter of 2015, but 13.7 lacked coverage in the fourth quarter of 2018. Yet Americans still would like to change things about their smile:
- 48% of people wanted to have brighter smiles.
- 18% were interested in straightening teeth or fixing gaps.
- 2% wanted collagen injections for fuller lips.
- About one in eight wouldn’t change anything about their smile.
So why don’t people get cosmetic treatments?
- 56% said they are too expensive.
- 18% said these treatments aren’t covered by insurance.
- 9% said they were afraid of the dentist.
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