PARSIPPANY, N.J. (PRNewswire) - Denture wearers are misunderstood, and they're anything but a stereotype. The Biting Into Denture Care survey shows that the biggest misconception about dentures is that they're only for grandma and grandpa (59%). The truth tells a different story: more than half (53%) of respondents were 44-year- old or younger when they first got dentures. The findings reveal intimate behaviors and attitudes about denture wearers and how they care for their oral health.
Conducted by Survata, and commissioned by GSK Consumer Healthcare's Polident® Denture Cleanser and Super Poligrip® Denture Adhesive, the new survey illustrates how denture wearers have a complex relationship with food, and more. Denture wearers also balk at romance, feel some limitations on their careers, and have kept their dentures a secret from coworkers and loved ones.
"It is clear from these survey findings that denture wearers' relationship with dentures is complicated," said Joe Buttermore, Senior Brand Manager for Polident® and Super Poligrip® brands. "While dentures give their wearers confidence and freedom, they can also make them feel careful and cautious. We see a need to make a positive shift to people's belief systems about wearing dentures. We want to help liberate denture wearers from limitations so that they can really dive into life, find uninhibited joy in everything and seize life's opportunities to sing louder, laugh harder, get closer, and eat foods they enjoy spontaneously.
When asked if wearing dentures limits their ability to live life to the fullest, 34 percent of survey respondents said they agree with that sentiment. Further, the survey explored some reasons why.
Pucker up or shy away? Many denture wearers feel hesitant about getting close to a loved one.
When it comes to love, romance is at stake for denture wearers. Whether they're concerned about bad breath or even fear of their dentures dislodging, nearly three in five (56%) survey respondents say that wearing dentures impacts their love life, of which 42 percent admit the effect was negative.
This impact is also felt in the way they kiss. Of the denture wearers who confess that wearing dentures affects the way they kiss, about a quarter (24%) are afraid to kiss someone passionately. What's more, men (23%) are more worried about kissing with their dentures than women (19%).
Denture wearers are intimidated by social situations and certain foods.
Imagine trying to hide a part of you from someone you love. The Biting Into Denture Care survey shows that 63 percent of denture wearers have kept their dentures a secret from someone, including friends (32%), their sibling(s) (10%), and even their spouse (7%).
Furthermore, some denture wearers even avoid certain social situations such as eating at parties or weddings (10%). And some are afraid to smile (20%).
They also have a complex relationship with food. The No. 1 concern for more than half of denture wearers (54%) is getting food stuck in or under their dentures. As a result, they tend to avoid eating certain foods, such as corn on the cob (50%), apples (34%), nuts (33%), steak (23%), and some beverages that may stain teeth, such as coffee or wine (8%).[12]
Denture wearers lack confidence at work.
Barriers to keep denture wearers from living life to the fullest also invade the workplace. Nearly two in five (38%) denture wearers admit that wearing dentures has affected their career. These respondents admit that they often feel intimidated to network with other professionals (37%) and lack confidence in meetings (33%). Nearly a quarter have even avoided going on job interviews (23%).
Denture wearers believe they keep their dentures in pristine condition.
Oral health ranks second highest (after overall physical well-being) among denture wearers in their list of priorities. More than three-quarters of the denture wearers surveyed (78%) feel they take excellent or good care of their dentures. But by contrast, research shows that up to 89 percent of denture wearers are not cleaning their dentures correctly.
"Proper care of dentures and having the confidence to overcome denture-related inhibitions, is essential to oral health and well-being," said Frank Gonser, DDS, PhD, North America Oral Care Medical Director for GSK Consumer Healthcare. "And, the one in five adults in the U.S. who wear dentures can be younger than you think. As our population gets older, dentures will be an even more important topic in the future because it affects a large number of people in society."
Real stories of denture wearers and more information about, Polident® and Super Poligrip® are available on the brands' YouTube channel and website, MyDentureCare.com.
Super Poligrip® Denture Adhesive and the No. 1 dentist recommended Polident® Denture Cleanser provide solutions to help denture wearers overcome their fears and inhibitions and build their confidence with the strong, all-day hold of Super Poligrip® Denture Adhesive, and the cleaning and odor-causing bacteria-killing power of Polident®.
About the Survey
The national survey was conducted by Survata, an independent research firm, between May 22 and May 28, 2015. Survata interviewed 500 online respondents of adults who wear denture wearers during the poll.
