The 32% of Spaniards ensures that it has not gone to the dentist for more than one year.

-only 13% of the Spanish visit the dentist every six months, while 37 per cent had mouth problems in the past year

– women worry more than its oral health males and 68 per cent of them has gone to the dentist in the last year, compared to 61% of men to have done so

Madrid, December of 2011- dentists recommend visiting the dentist at least once a year. However, only 64% of Spaniards visited the dentist in the past 12 months. This is one of the main conclusions drawn from the study international Bupa Health Pulse II 2011, done by Bupa, the parent company of Sanitas.

Among the most striking figures, is that 32% of respondents claimed to have not attended the consultation of the dentist in the last year and of these, 11% four years ago or more which will not. Added to this 32% is another 4% do not exactly know when was the last time he visited the dentist.

By gender, women are worried about their oral health males and 68 per cent of them has gone to the dentist in the last year, compared to 61% of men that has done it.

For ages, every 100 Spaniards aged between 55 and 64 74 recognize have gone to a revision in the last year, 39%, even, has done it in the past six months. On the contrary, are over the age of 65 (56%), followed by young people aged between 25 and 34 years, with 61%, those who confess to having less visited the dentist’s in the past twelve months.

In addition, 4 of every 10 Spaniards aged between 18 and 24 and 55 to 64 years has suffered from some dental disease. They are the stripes of age which reveals increased incidence of discomfort, along with the 35 to 44 years (39%).

90% Of respondents recognizes that healthy teeth improve health

Oral health is important for the Spaniards, they admit that maintaining healthy teeth improves health in general. So says 90% of respondents.

By gender, this percentage amounts to 93% in women, compared with 88 per cent for men. The Spaniards aged between 55 and 64 are giving greater importance to have a proper dental hygiene with 96%, followed by those over 45 years.

According to Sanitas Dental experts, good hygiene helps to maintain oral health and prevent the occurrence of problems such as caries, sores in the mouth, dental hypersensitivity or discomfort in the gums. Brushing and flossing usual, should add a professional cleaning at the dentist’s. 53 of every 100 Spaniards say have become a dental cleaning during the past year and 24 per cent of them did so in the past six months. The Spaniards aged between 35 and 54 years are those who claim to a greater extent have gone to the dentist for this purpose (57%), while only 44 of every 100 young people aged between 18 and 24 have gone to consultation with that intention in the past year. By gender, 56% of women recognize visit to the dentist for this reason, compared to 49% of men.

In addition to hygiene, there are other healthy habits to help keep your teeth healthy and strong, as food. Almost 4 in 10 Spanish (37%) recognize that they have suffered some kind of dental problem last year, in the case of those who claim to eat five pieces of fruit or vegetables a day, the percentage is reduced to 33%.

On the other hand, two in five of the Spanish claim to smokers, say having suffered dental problems in recent months.

Data sheet

For the preparation of this second study of Bupa Health Pulse 2011 has been a total of 13.373 interviews online in 12 countries (United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, Mexico, India, EE)UU. (Brazil, China, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Hong Kong). The questionnaires were answered between April 22 and May 23. In Spain 1,048 persons were interviewed and quotas have been established to make the sample representative at the national level by sex, age and region.

Group Sanitas

The Sanitas group, specializing in health and health care partner, includes companies: Sanitas insurance, Sanitas hospitals, Sanitas Residencial and Sanitas new business. You sanitas insurance is the leading company with regard to private customers of insurance for medical care and health in Spain, with 1.98 million members. In 2010, its turnover was EUR 1.449,5 million.

You sanitas hospital manages four hospitals and 17 medical centers multiespecialidad.

You sanitas Residencial is one of major attention to Spain largest companies, he has 41 residences throughout the country and has more than 5,000 residential spaces.

You sanitas new business includes dental business through a range of 65 centers dental Milenum in all Spain, and a wide range of complementary health services in their welfare centres.