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PRACTISING good oral hygiene is always on the mind of auditor Jeremy Chan, who relies on it to make a good impression on his clients. The 29 year old, who often has to meet clients and managers during the course of his work, insists on maintaining a clean set of pearly whites and fresh smelling breath. He said: “It gives me self confidence when meeting people. I also wouldn’t make a bad impression and turn them off with bad breath.”
His daily regime of brushing after every meal puts him in good stead. More than half of 231 professionals, managers, executives and businessmen (PMEBs) surveyed agreed that they had a negative impression of colleagues with bad breath. This was revealed in a recent survey by The Nielsen Company – a global information and measurement company – conducted on 312 Singaporean respondents aged between 16 and 55 years through online interviews.
The survey, conducted between Jan 28 and Feb 7 this year for dentalcare brand OralB, showed a surprising lack of oral hygiene awareness among Singaporeans. For instance, although 93 per cent of Singaporeans are concerned with dental health, more than half are unaware that plaque is the main cause of gingivitis – the most common form of gum disease here. More than six in 10 of them also said they do not visit the dentist at least twice a year. The survey also found that 43 per cent of respondents visited their dentist only when they experienced dental problems.
On their own dental hygiene, 18 per cent of respondents said they do not brush their teeth twice a day on a regular basis, with 15 per cent saying they do not usually brush their teeth before going to bed
at night. These results were revealed at OralB’s “Healthier Teeth, Healthier Singapore” roadshow at Ang Mo Kio Hub yesterday. The roadshow, which started on Monday and ends on May 8, aims to raise awareness about plaque and educate Singaporeans on the importance of good oral health.
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