Orthodontics can be a bit of a dry topic to a layman, but there are many compelling facts and figures surrounding the field as well as some intriguing history – read on to find out some quick-fire information that will impress your mates – after all, orthodontics could come up in an episode of The Chase of The Weakest Link!
Did you know ….
- 20% of adults admit to not brushing their teeth once a day – this includes a third of men.
- 10% of people admit to regularly forgetting to brush.
- 42% of adults use only the bare minimum of tools in the upkeep of their dental hygiene – a toothbrush and toothpaste.
- A third of adults have never flossed their teeth.
- In the UK we spend £5.8 billion on dental treatment.
- Around 2% of the population have never visited a dentist.
Our teeth here in the UK…..
- 66% of us have visible plaque – this can only be removed by a dental hygienist.
- In the UK mouth cancer is the 10th most common cancer in men and the 15th most common in women.
- 74% of adults have had a tooth extracted.
Our kids teeth…
- Sugar makes up 15% of the daily calorie intake of 4-10-year-olds.
- In England, children and young people drink more sugary carbonated drinks than anywhere else in Europe.
- Around 40% of children do not visit the dentist annually.
- Tooth extractions are the biggest reason children are admitted to hospitals for general anaesthetics in the UK.
Dental Fears in the UK
- Nearly 50% of adults in the UK have a phobia of the dentist.
- 12% of this percentage suffer from extreme dental anxiety.
- Visits to the dentist rank above a fear of heights, sharing 22% of the vote!
Some extra fun facts…
- It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.
- 1 in 5 of us cannot remember the last time we changed our toothbrush.
- More than 50% of us would share our toothbrush with somebody – this breaks down as 24% with a partner, 18% with our child and 7% to a friend.
Orthodontics – some history…
- The field of orthodontics dates back to the Ancient Egyptians, who fashioned braces from crude metal bands. Mummies have been excavated with what was believed to be cat gut, acting as what we would now call brace hardware, connecting the pieces of metal together.
- Orthodontics really started to take off in the 17th century when dental impressions were first used, made from wax.
- Edward Hartley Angle is considered to be one of (if not the) pioneers of modern orthodontics when he identified the ins and outs of malocclusion and misalignment from 1880 and beyond.
If you would like more information about dental hygiene, or you would like to arrange a check-up with us or our Norwich orthodontists here at Cornerhouse, please do not hesitate to contact us.
