Singaporeans more lax in oral hygiene since pandemic: study

Change in lifestyle since the pandemic blamed for worsening oral hygiene.

Singaporeans have not been taking care of their teeth since the pandemic started despite 89% believing good oral healthcare can benefit their overall health, according to a research by GSK Consumer Healthcare and IPSOS.

The research found that Singaporeans have been lax in their oral hygiene, with only 19% regularly visiting the dentist for checkups or cleaning. Since the pandemic, 36% have reduced their frequency or stopped visiting the dentist during the pandemic.

The top three oral health conditions currently experienced by Singaporeans are sensitive teeth, stained or yellow teeth, and plaque.

The pandemic also saw an increase of 26% in consumption of snacks, 23% increase in coffee or tea, and 15% in frozen treats. Increased consumption of these types of food and beverage has a pronounced effect on oral health, especially in the accelerated wear on tooth enamel that cannot be restored naturally by the body

Despite an uptick in the intake of these type of food, only 14% of Singaporeans claimed to have brushed their teeth more frequently.

“These survey findings hint at a lackadaisical attitude among Singapore’s consumers in managing their overall oral health, even as many of them are already suffering from at least one oral health issue,” said Keith Choy, region head of Asia Pacific at GSK Consumer Healthcare.