Oral-B research suggests neglecting teeth may affect your social & romantic life

To mark World Oral Care Day, Oral-B has revealed new research around Irish people’s attitudes towards bad oral care, especially when it comes to relationships and even romance.

According to the new study, over 9 in 10 (91%) Irish adults confessed to finding bad oral hygiene a major "ick". It was discovered that women are the biggest culprits when it comes to getting "icked" out, with 63% admitting they’re always turned off by poor oral care.

In addition, it was revealed that over 36% of adults stated they would most certainly brush-off a second date if they discovered the other person had poor oral hygiene and of those surveyed, it was 42% of women who said that a second date would be a no-go, compared to 30% of males.

Despite the research findings and level of “ick”, only a fifth of adults said they’d be willing to broach the often-awkward conversation of bad oral care with their friends. The survey showed that 23% said they’d stay silent on the matter when it comes to their friend’s bad breath or appearance. However, for 18 to 24-year-olds, they said when it comes to expressing awkward news to their friends, 32% claim they’d always speak up when faced with a friend’s oral care faux pas.

This World Oral Care Day, take charge of your oral health and banish the “ick” from your life – for good! And if anyone sprung to mind when you read this, it might be time to play tooth fairy and gift them their very own Oral-B electric toothbrush and toothpaste.

With its unique round brush head, the Oral-B electric toothbrushes remove up to 100% more plaque than a standard manual toothbrush for cleaner teeth and healthier gums. You can find Oral-B electric toothbrushes in Dunnes Stores, Tesco and pharmacies nationwide.