New U.S. Oral Care Survey Reveals Over Half (56%) Of Denture Wearers Avoid Eating Certain Foods;[1] Also Feel Limitations In Work, Social And Romantic Lives

PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Denture wearers are misunderstood, and they're anything but a stereotype. The Biting Into Denture Care survey shows that the biggest misconception about dentures is that they're only for grandma and grandpa (59%).[3] The truth tells a different story: more than half (53%) of respondents were 44-year- old or younger when they first got dentures.[2] The findings reveal intimate behaviors and attitudes about denture wearers and how they care for their oral health.

Conducted by Survata, and commissioned by GSK Consumer Healthcare's Polident® Denture Cleanser and Super Poligrip® Denture Adhesive, the new survey illustrates how denture wearers have a complex relationship with food, and more.  Denture wearers also balk at romance, , feel some limitations on their careers and have kept their dentures a secret from coworkers and loved ones. 

"It is clear from these survey findings that denture wearers' relationship with dentures is complicated," said Joe Buttermore, Senior Brand Manager for Polident® and Super Poligrip® brands. "While dentures give their wearers confidence and freedom, they can also make them feel careful and cautious. We see a need  to make a positive shift to people's belief systems about wearing dentures.  We want to help liberate denture wearers from limitations so that they can really dive into life, find uninhibited joy in everything and seize life's opportunities to sing louder, laugh harder, get closer, and eat foods they enjoy spontaneously.

When asked if wearing dentures limits their ability to live life to the fullest, 34 percent of survey respondents said they agree with that sentiment.[4] Further, the survey explored some reasons why.

Pucker up or shy away? Many denture wearers feel hesitant about getting close to a loved one.

When it comes to love, romance is at stake for denture wearers. Whether they're concerned about bad breath or even fear of their dentures dislodging, nearly three in five (56%) of survey respondents say that wearing dentures impacts their love life, of which 42 percent admit the effect was negative.[5]

This impact is also felt in the way they kiss. Of the denture wearers who confess that wearing dentures affects the way they kiss, about a quarter (24%) are afraid to kiss someone passionately.[6] What's more, men (23%) are more worried about kissing with their dentures than women (19%).[7]

Denture wearers are intimidated by social situations and certain foods.

Imagine trying to hide a part of you from someone you love. The Biting Into Denture Care survey shows that 63 percent of denture wearers have kept their dentures a secret from someone, including friends (32%), their sibling(s) (10%) and even their spouse (7%).[8]

Furthermore,some denture wearers even avoid certain social situations like eating at parties or weddings (10%).[9] And some are afraid to smile (20%).[10]

They also have a complex relationship with food. The number one concern for more than half of denture wearers (54%) is getting food stuck in or under their dentures.[11]  As a result, they tend to avoid eating certain foods, like corn on the cob (50%), apples (34%), nuts (33%), steak (23%), and some beverages that may stain teeth, like coffee or wine (8%).[12]

Denture wearers lack confidence at work.

Barriers to keep denture wearers from living life to the fullest also invade the workplace. Nearly two in five (38%) denture wearers admit that wearing dentures has affected their career.[13] These respondents admit that they often feel intimidated to network with other professionals (37%) and lack confidence in meetings (33%). Nearly a quarter have even avoided going on job interviews (23%).[14]

Denture wearers believe they keep their dentures in pristine condition.

Oral health ranks second highest (after overall physical well-being) among denture wearers in their list of priorities.[15] More than three-quarters of the denture wearers surveyed (78%) feel they take excellent or good care of their dentures.[16] But by contrast, research shows that up to 89 percent of denture wearers are not cleaning their dentures correctly.[17]

"Proper care of dentures and having the confidence to overcome denture-related inhibitions, is essential to oral health and well-being," said Frank Gonser, DDS, PhD, North America Oral Care Medical Director for GSK Consumer Healthcare. "And, the one in five adults in the U.S. who wear dentures can be younger than you think.[18]  As our population gets older, dentures will be an even more important topic in the future because it affects a large number of people in society."

Real stories of denture wearers and more information about, Polident® and Super Poligrip® are available on the brands' YouTube channel and website, MyDentureCare.com.

Super Poligrip® Denture Adhesive and the #1 dentist recommended Polident® Denture Cleanser provide solutions to help denture wearers overcome their fears and inhibitions and build their confidence with the strong, all-day hold of Super Poligrip® Denture Adhesive, and the cleaning and odor-causing bacteria-killing power of Polident®.  

About the Survey
The national survey was conducted by Survata, an independent research firm, between May 22 and May 28, 2015. Survata interviewed 500 online respondents of adults who wear denture wearers during the poll. 

About GSK Consumer Healthcare

GSK Consumer Healthcare is one of the world's largest consumer healthcare companies.  Our purpose is to help more people around the world to do more, feel better and live longer with everyday healthcare products.  We have a heritage that goes back over 160 years.  We own some of the world's best loved healthcare brands, including Sensodyne®, Theraflu®, Excedrin®, Nicorette® and NicoDerm®CQ®, Flonase®, and TUMS®. These brands are successful in over 100 countries around the world because they all show our passion for quality, guaranteed by science. They are inspired by the real wants and needs of the millions of people who walk into pharmacies, supermarkets, market stalls and go on-line all over the world every day, and choose us first.

Our goal is to build a global, growing business we call a Fast Moving Consumer Healthcare (FMCH) company, dedicated to everyday healthcare with all of the scientific expertise and quality guarantees that demands, working at the speed and with the genuine consumer understanding the modern world expects.

About GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information visit: http://www.gsk.com.

CONTACT:
Joanmarie Goddard, [email protected], 1-973-647-2177

Traci Tournoux, [email protected], 1-201-213-2344

Danielle Henbest, [email protected], 1-607-738-8042

[1] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 9.

[2] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 29.

[3] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 10.

[4] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 14.

[5] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 18.

[6] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 19.

[7] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 20.

[8] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 8.

[9] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 9.

[10] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 5.

[11] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 5.

[12] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 6.

[13] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 11 & 21.

[14] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 11 & 21.

[15] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 7.

[16] Denture wearers survey data full report prepared for GSK by Survata and Green Room Communications. May 22-May 28, 2015. Slide 3.

[17] Barbosa L et al. Edentulous patients' knowledge of dental hygiene and care of prostheses. Jnl of Gerodontology. 2008:25;99-106.

[18] "Denture Care Awareness and Use Report" prepared for GSK by Radius Global Market Research., Jan 2015, slide 6; 1,035 Denture Wearers aged 18+ participated in a 35-minute survey. 

SOURCE GSK Consumer Healthcare

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