According to research from Bupa, two in three (65 per cent) of 18- 34-year-olds admitted they knew more about their mental health than their dental health, with 19 per cent acknowledging they were unaware of any connection between oral health and mental wellbeing. Only 13 per cent of Brits felt they were better informed about their dental health than their mental health.
The results are part of a wider look into how much Brits know about how dental health is connected to their overall physical and mental wellbeing. According to Bupa, 85 per cent of respondents do not think mental health worries were related to the health of their teeth, tongue or gums. Furthermore, only 12 per cent knew their oral health could be connected to panic attacks. Just seven per cent understood the links to bipolar disorder.
There’s also low public awareness of the link between oral health and mouth cancer, with just over half (53 per cent) recognising the connection. Even fewer are aware of the impact on conditions like diabetes (25 per cent) or heart illness (14 per cent).
Neil Sikka, director of dentistry at Bupa Dental Care, said, “Typically, people come to the dentist when they’re in pain, or for a check-up on tooth decay or gum disease – but we can detect far beyond this and not many people are aware.
“This research shows there is still a lot of work to be done to close the knowledge gap. As dental professionals, it’s our responsibility to educate patients on the critical role that dental health plays in their overall health. We often serve as the first line of defence in detecting oral health conditions that could indicate early signs of systemic health issues like diabetes or heart disease.”
To raise awareness about the importance of oral health, Bupa has launched ‘The Great Unexplored’ campaign that encourages more people and families to prioritise their oral health, spot warning signs, and learn more about oral care.
When people understood the direct impact of dental hygiene on their overall health, over three-quarters (78 per cent) said it changed their attitude. A further 61 per cent of those promised to start taking better care of their oral hygiene in the future.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73 per cent) agreed more needs to be done to shine a light on the impact oral hygiene has on overall wellbeing, with two-thirds (67 per cent) feeling the importance of oral health was underrepresented in the UK media. Sixty-three per cent said schools could be good places to instil better habits in children from a young age.
Neil added, “It’s easy to overlook dental health or see it as purely cosmetic, but our whole body is connected. At Bupa, we’re in a unique position to offer patients access to dental and wider health care, providing them with peace of mind when they most need it.”