A national survey from the ADA, Crest®, and Oral B® found that the smile is what people find most attractive in others. The smile outranked eyes, hair, and the body as the most attractive physical feature in other people.
Although men and women both ranked the smile as the most attractive feature in others, the genders differed when it came to taking care of their teeth and gums. The nationally representative survey of 1,000 Americans ages 18 and older found that 86% of women brush their teeth twice or more per day, while only 66% of men do so. Additionally, only 49% of those surveyed said they floss their teeth once per day or more.
Women in the survey also said they change their toothbrush or power toothbrush head every 3 to 4 months on average, while men delay this change for an average of 5 months.
"We need to constantly get the word out how important it is to stay on top of your oral health," says Ada Cooper, DDS, an ADA consumer adviser and practicing dentist in New York City. "Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, eating a balanced diet, and visiting your dentist regularly can help keep your smile healthy."
