Oral health in the UK has never been better than it is right now.
Over the last decade we have made a lot of progress to reduce dental disease across the UK and ultimately bring better oral health to all.
However we still have a long way to go to address oral health issues across the country and National Smile Month can help us address some of the issues detailed below.
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3The amount of school days on average that are missed yearly due to dental problems. |
39%Almost two in five (39%) of adults that don’t go to the dentist regularly. |
66%Two in three (66%) of adults have visible plaque. |
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25%One in four (25%) adults do not brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. |
31%Almost one in three (31%) of adults have tooth decay. |
74%Around three in four (74%) of adults have had a tooth extracted. |
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33%One in three (33%) of adults have never flossed or cleaned interdentally. |
60 million60 million people in the UK do not have fluoridated water. |
40milesTwo million adults in the UK have to travel at least 40 miles to access dental care. |
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8772There are over 8,700 new cases of mouth cancer each year. |
6 millionOver the last year, around six million adults in the UK have had long-lasting pain (over two weeks) caused by toothache. |
6 millionIn the UK, there are 6.9 million people who smoke cigarettes. |
