Bupa’s research found that three in five people believe having bad teeth can prevent someone from finding a partner while over half believe having nice teeth can help someone get a better job. Almost half of respondents believe having nice teeth can help a person to make more friends.
However, only half of the people polled a regular dental examination and one in seven has not used any dental services in the last four years, with four per cent having never visited the dentist at all.
Not only does the nation think that having a nice smile is important, it seems that many people would do an awful lot to get one, with one in seven saying that they would give up having sex for a whole year if it meant they could get perfect teeth. Similarly, one in five would forgo booze for a year if they could have a spectacular smile.
Brian Franks, clinical director, dentistry, Bupa Health and Wellbeing said, ‘Even people who are currently happy with their teeth should pay attention to their dental health, as problems can happen at any time and get worse if not treated.’
