Average Brit spends almost £200 a year looking after their oral health

Average Brit spends almost £200 a year looking after their oral health

06/06/2018

British adults are spending £196 a year looking after their smile by purchasing oral health care products, according to the results of a nationwide survey.

An investigation by the Oral Health Foundation, looking at the spending power of more than 2,000 people from across the UK, found that we are spending an average of £16.34 on products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, interdental brushes and sugar free chewing gum each month.

As the number of people visiting a dentist continues to rise and with treatments such as tooth whitening and adult braces becoming more popular, the population is now placing a much greater emphasis on good oral health. As an advocate of preventive dentistry and healthy teeth for life, this is music to the ears of Woking dentist Catherine Pritchard from Goldsworth Road Dental.

Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, said: “The health of your mouth is a really useful indicator for determining the state your overall health and wellbeing. A healthy mouth often translates to a healthy body and this message is being adopted by greater numbers of a population, which is becoming significantly more health-conscious.

“Daily oral hygiene routines, reducing sugar consumption, and visiting the dentist are all having a positive impact transforming Britain’s oral health.

“Heart disease, strokes, diabetes, premature births and respiratory disease are just some of the problems that can be caused or made worse by poor oral health, so by investing more time and money into the health of your mouth you are demonstrating a very clear ambition to improve the quality of your life.”

Those in London are likely to spend the most on oral health products – £25.53 every month, closely followed by those in Oxford (£23.72), York (£19.83) and Liverpool (£18.03). Residents who spend the least are in Sheffield (£7.46), Leeds (£7.81) and Belfast (£8.53).

Men spend an average of £18.87 per month, around a third more than women at £13.81, while purchasing power peaks for those aged between 25 and 34, then declines steadily into a person’s elderly years.

The door to our Goldsworth Road dental practice is always open to new patients from across Woking, Guildford, Surrey and beyond for private dental care, so please get in touch to find out more about us. We look forward to welcoming you and your family.