Americans Get Failing Grade On Oral Health Knowledge

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The American Dental Association, in collaboration with Crest and Oral-B recently revealed findings from a national public opinion survey on oral health care. If you go to nobody's surprise that Americans labor under many misconceptions, and they do so at the risk of their own and their children's health.

Here is a sneak peek at the key findings of the national survey:

1. While eight of 10 Americans say taking care of one's mouth, teeth and gums is "absolutely needed," only one-third of them say they do an "excellent" job taking care of them.

2. One parent in four says his or her kids do only a "fair" or "poor" job taking care of their own mouth, teeth and gums.

3. Americans deem the smile the most important physical attribute but do not realize a beautiful smile is not always a healthy smile and can mask underlying oral health problems. More than one in three Americans say:

-- They think a little bleeding from brushing is normal (33%), yet it's not. It could be a sign of gum disease or something even worse.

-- They are unaware that periodontal disease needs to be treated and cannot be left alone (33%).

-- They don't know that poor oral health has been associated with serious health conditions such as stroke, heart disease and diabetes (37%).

"This survey helps dentists understand opinions their patients may not be sharing, opinions that provide an opportunity to address perception versus reality when it comes to oral health," said Ada Cooper, D.D.S., Consumer Advisor for the ADA and a practicing dentist in NY.

"These findings further strengthen our dedication to helping all Americans achieve good oral health through the products and education we offer," said Leslie Winston, D.D.S., Ph.D., director of Professional and Scientific Relations, Procter and Gamble Oral Care Research Center. "We are happy to provide a united front with the ADA to help."