This can be startling but almost half of the British population does not brush their teeth regularly at bedtime. This is what the latest survey has found out. The study by the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF) found that six out of ten women regularly neglect brushing their teeth at bedtime and this is in comparision with just over a third of men. In contrast, only one Briton in ten skips brushing his/her teeth in the morning.

As the survey discovered there are more people who go without brushing their teeth for 24 hours. And, almost as much as 15 per cent of the people surveyed had not cleaned their teeth for more two days. And, almost 3 per cent had gone without brushing their teeth for more than a week.

BDHF Chief Executive Dr Nigel Carter said has stated that anyone who does not regularly end up brushing their teeth in the morning or night-time is storing up oral health problems for the future which can be tooth decay and gum disease. This can be one of the worst reasons for tooth loss and often enough results in the need for bridges, dentures or implants. Gum disease has also been linked to other medical problems, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and respiratory disease and this is all the more the reason that one needs to be stringent about dental hygiene.

According to Carter, good oral health cannot be maintained by brushing once a day only, as each brushing session has a specific purpose. When you brush for the first time in the morning it helps to coat the tooth’s enamel with fluoride to strengthen and protect the tooth surface against acid attacks throughout the day. When you go on to brush your teeth last thing at night it helps to remove the deposits which have built up from eating and drinking during the day and gets rid of the plaque and tartar build up. The last brush of the day continues to protect the tooth’s surface further during sleep.