Does a Smile Win Over Toned Abs?

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Mar 27, 2012, 07:50 ET

Third-annual Crest and Oral-B Great Canadian Smile Survey finds most Canadians consider the smile to be number 1 when determining attractiveness

TORONTO, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Do teeth win over toned abs? According to the third annual Crest and Oral-B Great Canadian Smile Survey, Canadians rank the smile as the most important attribute when determining attractiveness in others, more than twice as important as physical fitness. However, in today's time-pressed culture, oral care falls to the back burner. While Canadians place great importance on the value of a healthy-looking smile only 30 per cent follow the dentist-recommended at home oral care routine of brushing, flossing and rinsing. What's stopping Canadians? 24 per cent say they can't be bothered and 20 per cent say they don't have the time.

"I find it fascinating that many of my patients will train for hours in the gym working on their physical fitness but sometimes don't give their teeth and gums the same attention," says Dr. Antony Carbery, consulting dentist to Crest and Oral-B. "Think of oral care as training for your smile, training that is essential to preventing plaque and tartar build-up that can lead to gingivitis and other more serious issues if left unchecked."

April is National Oral Health Month and Crest and Oral-B encourage Canadians to brush twice a day, floss at least once daily and use an anti-bacterial mouthwash - an easy three-step routine to help prevent plaque build-up and promote healthy teeth and gums. By not taking care of their teeth and gums, Canadians put themselves at a greater risk for gingivitis, the earliest form of gum disease. In fact, more than one in two Canadians suffers from gingivitis¹, which can be preventable and even reversible if caught early.

1-2-3: Three easy steps to impressing your dentist
Crest and Oral-B encourage Canadians to follow an easy three-step routine of brushing, flossing and rinsing to maintain a healthy-looking smile year-round:

Floss: at least once a day. It's essential to help remove plaque from in-between teeth and under the gumline. Without flossing, one third of the tooth surface is left unchecked, leaving bacteria behind that can cause plaque and bad breath. 25 per cent of Canadians floss less than once a month or not at all.
Brush: twice a day for two minutes each time using an all-in-one toothpaste and a power toothbrush. 72 per cent of Canadians say they use a manual toothbrush - however a power toothbrush like the Oral-B Professional Care Smart Series 5000 power brush helps remove up to two times more plaque than a regular manual brush, helping to prevent and reverse gingivitis.
Rinse: twice a day for 30 seconds each time with an antigingivitis / antiplaque rinse to help eliminate additional plaque-causing bacteria.

Additional results from the third annual Crest and Oral-B Great Canadian Smile Survey

90 per cent of Canadians consider their smile to be an essential part of their overall appearance
60 per cent of Canadians say having their dental professional's approval on their oral health is extremely or very important, but are not taking the steps to impress them by taking care of their teeth and gums at home
Canadian women are twice as likely to follow a dentist-recommended oral care regimen than men (34 per cent vs. 14 per cent)

Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health products are available across Canada at mass, drug and grocery retailers. For more information visit www.facebook.com/crestcanada.

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ABOUT THE SURVEY
For the study, a national sample of Canadian consumers was randomly selected from TNS Canada's Internet research panel and invited to complete an online survey. In total, 511 panel members completed the questionnaire between November 30 and December 6, 2011. The survey data were weighted to reflect the demographic distribution of Canadian consumers.

¹ Based on Low-Silness scale scores 1-3. Health Canada. 2010. Report on the findings of the oral health component of the Canadian health measures survey 2007-2009

SOURCE Procter & Gamble