Brushing at Work May Help You Keep Your Job!

The teeth and gums are one of the most overlooked aspects of health. Interestingly, a huge number of American employees do not even brush their teeth at work. The Academy of General Dentistry recently found out in a study that only 14 percent of these employees mindfully brush their teeth at work. Here at our Central Georgia dental practice, we highly encourage our clients to practice good oral hygiene habits even if they’re busy pounding the keyboards at work!

Details of the Survey

Roughly a thousand employees 18 years old and above were polled for the survey. They were mainly asked about their oral care habits as well as their perception of a “healthy smile” in the workplace. The following were the significant findings of the survey:

  • 40 percent of the respondents ranked “smile” as one of the first things notice in co-employees at work.

  • 96 percent of the employees believed that an individual’s smile is a very important factor to a person’s appearance

  • 32 percent of the employees agreed that “bad breath” is the least attractive trait in a co-worker

  • 75 percent of the respondents eat twice or more in the office

Why Brush Your Teeth in the Office

Imagine tons of food particles from all the snacking you do at work, not to mention the coffee, energy drinks,  and sodas you down almost every hour. The sugars from these food items could actually accumulate into acid on the surface of your teeth, increasing your chances of developing tooth decay and gum disease. Such an ugly occurrence, right?

The following strategies will help you improve oral health even while at work (and subsequently keep you job due to increased productivity and less absences from being ill):

  • Have a separate office toothbrush and store it in a dry container. Make sure that it’s visible in your table so you’ll be reminded every day about using it.

  • Post a sticky note near your PC or desk as a reminder to brush your teeth.

  • Consider brushing  your teeth right after lunch, before you get busy with your afternoon meetings and deadlines to be met by the end of the day.

  • Like your toothbrushes at home, replace them regularly, especially right after a bout of cold or flu.

Visit the Central Georgia Periodontics and Dental Implants Center now if you’d like to know more about taking care of your teeth and gums. Call us at 478.923.0232 or fill out this contact request form to set up an initial consultation. We look forward to your visit!