Canadians And Oral Health

Toronto, ON - According to a new Ipsos-Reid survey conducted on behalf of Colgate, 95% of Canadians consider good oral health to be an important factor in maintaining good overall health. Considering this, nine in ten Canadians (92%) brush their teeth on a regular basis to maintain good oral health and majorities do other things regularly such as visit the dentist (68%), eat a well-balanced diet (64%), floss (62%), brush their tongue (55%), check their gums (53%), use mouthwash (51%), and refrain from smoking (51%). Two in three Canadians (65%) change their toothbrush at least every three months and eight in ten (79%) visit the dentist for a routine check up at least once a year. Of the 21% who do not visit the dentist regularly, one in three (32%) say it's because of the financial cost.

Virtually all Canadians (98%) think dentists are important to maintaining overall health, on par with physicians (98%). Approximately the same proportion (95%) believes dental hygienists are important in maintaining overall health, on par with pharmacists (95%) and optometrists (95%). Nearly half of Canadians (46%) report having no cavities, slightly less than four in ten (37%) have only some cavities. Just one in ten (12%) Canadians have never received a dental procedure; others have received a variety of procedures such as fillings (59%), extractions (46%), and crowns (24%). Three-quarters of Canadians (76%) consider gingivitis a serious problem, and 86% believe a number of ailments can result from gingivitis, such as bleeding gums (70%), serious dental diseases such a periodontal disease (50%), and mouth pain (45%).

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/Colgate poll conducted between February 3rd and February 5th, 2004. The telephone survey is based on a randomly selected sample of 1062 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 1773.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 2001 Census data. Nearly all Canadians (95%) Canadians consider good oral health to be an important factor in maintaining good overall health, with 75% who say it's "very important." Just 2% do not believe it's "very important" and 3% are unaware of any link between good oral health and good overall health.

• There are no statistically significant demographic findings for this question.

Nine in ten Canadians (92%) brush their teeth on a regular basis to maintain good oral health and majorities do other things regularly such as visit the dentist (68%), eat a well-balanced diet (64%), floss (62%), brush their tongue (55%), check their gums (53%), use mouthwash (51%), and refrain from smoking (51%).

• Canadians 18-54 years of age are more likely than their elders to floss (67% vs. 52%) and brush their tongue (59% vs. 45%) on a regular basis; Canadians 35 and older are more likely than young adults to eat a well balanced diet to maintain good oral health (66% vs. 58%).
• Women are more likely than men to visit the dentist (71% vs. 64%), eat a well-balanced diet (70% vs. 58%), floss (69% vs. 55%), brush their tongue (62% vs. 47%), and check their gums (57% vs. 49%).

• Canadians with at least some post-secondary education are more likely than those without to visit the dentist (72% vs. 61%), eat a well-balanced diet (70% vs. 55%), floss (69% vs. 52%), check their gums (59% vs. 43%), and not smoke (57% vs. 39%).

Two in three Canadians (65%) change their toothbrush at least every three months, with 19% who say they change it more often than every three months. One-quarter (27%) change their toothbrush every six months and 8% change their toothbrush once a year or less.

• Residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba appear to change their toothbrush most frequently with 28% who say they change it more often than every three months, compared to 16% of residents of British Columbia, 17% of residents of Quebec, 19% of residents of Ontario, 19% of residents of Atlantic Canada, and 20% of residents of Alberta.

• Canadians 35 years of age and older are more likely than young adults to change their toothbrush every six months (30% vs. 20%). Three-quarters (74%) of young adults change their toothbrush at least every three months.

Eight in ten (79%) Canadians visit the dentist for a routine check up at least once a year, with 45% who go every six months. One in ten Canadians (10%) visit the dentist every two to three years, 3% go every five years, and 7% go less often than every five years.

• Residents of Ontario seem to visit the dentist most frequently with 54% who go every six months, compared to 23% of residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba, 36% of residents of Atlantic Canada, 41% of residents of Quebec, 41% of residents of Alberta, and 49% of residents of British Columbia.

• Likelihood of visiting the dentist every six months increases with annual household income (

Of the 21% who do not visit the dentist regularly, one in three (32%) say it's because of the financial cost, 29% do not feel the need to go more often, 16% say it's because it's are not covered on their health plan, 14% have dentures or no teeth, 11% say they don't have time, 9% are afraid, and 12% don't know or give other reasons.

• There are no statistically significant demographic findings for this question.

Virtually all Canadians (98%) think dentists are important (77% "very important," 21% "somewhat important") to maintaining overall health, on par with physicians (85% "very important," 13% "somewhat important"). Approximately the same proportion (95%) believes dental hygienists are important (58% "very important," 37% "somewhat important") in maintaining overall health, on par with pharmacists (66% "very important," 28% "somewhat important") and optometrists (65% "very important," 30% "somewhat important"). In comparison, seven in ten (69%) Canadians think chiropractors are important (22% "very important," 47% "somewhat important").

• There are no statistically significant demographic differences between those who consider dentists and/or dental hygienists important and those who do not.

Nearly half of Canadians (46%) report having no cavities and slightly less than four in ten (37%) has only some cavities. Only 5% say they have a lot of cavities but have not had any major dental treatment (excluding cosmetic procedures), while 10% have a lot of cavities and have had major dental treatment (excluding cosmetic procedures).

• Residents of Quebec (53%) are the least likely to have cavities, followed by residents of Atlantic Canada (52%), Ontario (43%), British Columbia (41%), Alberta (41%), and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (40%).

• Canadians 55 years of age and older are more likely than those who are younger to have no cavities (57% vs. 41%), while Canadians 18-54 years of age are more likely than their elders to have some cavities (44% vs. 21%).

• Men are more likely than women to have some cavities (41% vs. 34%).

Just one in ten (12%) of Canadians have never received a dental procedure. Others have received a variety of procedures such as fillings (59%), extractions (46%), crowns (24%), removable dentures (20%), braces (13%), professional whitening (9%), veneers (5%), and implants (3%).

• Canadians 35 years of age and older are more likely than young adults to have had extractions (51% vs. 34%), crowns (29% vs. 12%), and removable dentures (27% vs. 3%). Canadians 18-34 years of age are more likely than their elders to have had braces (22% vs. 10%).

• Women are more likely than men to have had removable dentures (22% vs. 17%).

• Canadians with an annual household income of $30,000 or greater are more likely than others to have had extractions (47% vs. 41%), crowns (26% vs. 15%), and braces (14% vs. 11%).

Three-quarters of Canadians (76%) consider gingivitis a serious problem (35% "very serious," 41% "somewhat serious"). Just over one in ten (13%) do not consider it to be serious, and 9% don't know what it is.

• Younger Canadian adults are more likely to than those who are older to consider gingivitis a serious problem (18-34 79%, 35-54 77%, 55+ 72%).

• Women are more likely than men to consider gingivitis a serious problem (81% vs. 70%).

• Canadians with at least a high school diploma are more likely than those without to consider gingivitis a serious problem (78% vs. 63%).

• Canadians with an annual household income greater than $60,000 are more likely than others to consider gingivitis a serious problem (81% vs. 72%).

Nearly nine in ten Canadians (86%) believe a number of ailments can result from gingivitis, such as bleeding gums (70%), serious dental diseases such a periodontal disease (50%), and mouth pain (45%), bad breath (1%), loss of teeth (1%), heart problems (1%), and other (3%). Just 2% do not believe ailments ca result from gingivitis and 12% don't know.

• Women are more likely than men to say gingivitis can result in more serious dental diseases such a periodontal disease (55% vs. 45%).

• Canadians with at least some post-secondary education are more likely than those without can result in more serious dental diseases such a periodontal disease (57% vs. 39%).

Please open the attached PDF to view the factum and detailed tables.

-30-

For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900