Oral Hygiene among British Adults

A recent survey showed that nearly a fifth of British adults go two or more days without brushing their teeth.

According to the poll by the Dental Smile Clinic in Bristol, approximately one quarter of British adults brushes only once a day, despite the fact that it is recommended to brush twice daily; meanwhile two-thirds mentioned that it takes them less than 60 seconds to brush.

It is important to mention that one in 30 men claimed they do not brush their teeth unless their partners tell them to.

Orthodontic Treatment Changes Must Be Explained to the Public

The British Dental Association (BDA) stated that "changes to the future provision of Health Service orthodontic treatment have to be fully explained to patients waiting for care". In order to decide which cases should be funded by the Health Service, the General Dental Services will see the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). The new regulations will stipulate that Health Service orthodontic treatment will be restricted to patients who score 3.6 or more on the IOTN scale.

Peter Crooks, Chair of the BDA Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee, stated that: