Covid Lockdown: 50% of Australians aren’t brushing their teeth
Half of Aussies have confessed to avoiding this essential daily habit during lockdown and Victorians are the worst offenders.
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Turns out lockdown is bringing out our bad habits in more ways than one with more than 2.7 million Aussies admitting they skip brushing their teeth daily when in lockdown.
The confessions were gathered by not-for-profit health fund HCF, which also found that as many as 1.9 million were prompted to brush only after putting on a mask and smelling their breath.
Other reasons people were prompted to brush their teeth during lockdown included feeling unhygienic (39 per cent); teeth started to feel ‘furry’ (27 per cent); feeling guilty (21 per cent); or they were about to leave home (20 per cent).
Aussies with kids at home under 18 (54 per cent) were more likely than those who do not (33 per cent) to delay or skip brushing teeth at least once a week; and one in four parents said they were motivated to brush their teeth to be a good role model for kids.
“Establishing a routine can be difficult and challenging at the best of times, but many of us know children can add an extra obstacle in maintaining a good routine,” says HCF dentist Dr Chris Ho.
“My advice is to try to establish a regular routine, or even try to set prompts to remind yourself like an alarm on your phone.
“You can also get the children involved and set up a star or sticker chart to reward them for brushing teeth morning and night so they can also look forward to setting up healthy, lifelong habits for themselves.”
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The HCF survey also found that men (17 per cent) were more likely than women (11 per cent) to skip brushing their teeth daily.
And, Victorians were the Australians most likely (46 per cent) to delay or skip brushing at least once a week, significantly more than Queenslanders (35 per cent) and West Australians (32 per cent).
If you’re one of the Aussies guilty of not brushing your teeth now and again, you don’t need to worry too much, says Dr Ho.
“Skipping brushing here and there won’t lead to any long lasting damage to your teeth, but if you’ve got an inconsistent routine or often skip a few times in a row you might be creating bad habits that will land you in the dentist’s chair more often than you may like,” he says.
Adding, “Everyone can be a bit slack at times, especially during the challenges of lockdown. But, it’s never too late to pick up good habits.”
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How to keep your teeth healthy in lockdown
To brush away these dirty habits and put a smile on locked down faces, Dr Ho has these top tips.
Watch the snacks. “Every time we eat or drink, the digestion process starts in the mouth. If you constantly snack you don’t give your saliva time to work which could result in more acid in the mouth and more sensitivity and decay.”
De-stress. “Lockdown has put us in many stressful situations like home schooling, working from home, and not enjoying social activities. People who are more stressed may tend to clench their teeth and get jaw ache, so try some strategies to reduce stress for the sake of your smile as well as your mental health.”
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Find a new daily routine. Dr Ho says we should be mindful of skipping healthy habits just because we’re not commuting to work or leaving the house. “Don’t blame lockdown for skipping brushing your teeth; rather, use it as an excuse to spend more time on your health and implement a routine to help get you back on track,” he says.
Start flossing. “If you’re not used to flossing, then now is the time to start – daily flossing helps to reduce dental decay, gum disease, and even bad breath by cleaning between the teeth where your brush may not reach. Brushing your tongue and roof of your mouth also helps prevent bad breath, so your friends and family will benefit too!”
Plan to visit your dentist. Finally, Dr Ho recommends people make a plan to visit their dentist when restrictions ease. “It’s something to look forward to for the sake of your health.”
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