32% Of Spaniards ensures that it has not gone to the dentist since more than one year ago.

-only 13% of Spaniards visit the dentist every six months, while 37% had mouth problems over the past year

– women worry more than their oral health males and 68 per cent of them has gone to the dentist in the past year, compared to 61% of men that has done it

Madrid, December 2011.- the 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, carried out by Bupa, the parent company of Sanitas.

Among the most striking figures, is that 32% of respondents claimed to have not come to consultation of the dentist in the past year and, of them, 11% four years ago or more that won’t. This 32% is added another 4% who do not know exactly when was the last time that he visited the dentist.

By gender, women worry more than their oral health males and 68 per cent of them has gone to the dentist in the past year, compared to 61% of men that has done so.

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

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

90% Of respondents recognized that healthy teeth improve health

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

By sex, 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 older than 45 years.

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

In addition to hygiene, there are other healthy habits that 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 up 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 the companies: Sanitas insurance, Sanitas hospitals, Sanitas Residencial and Sanitas new business. You sanitas insurance is the leading company on clients private 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 clinics multiespecialidad.

You sanitas residential is one of the main companies of care for the elderly of Spain, he has 41 residences throughout the country and has more than 5,000 residential spaces.

You sanitas new business encompasses the 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.