Los Angeles was named the top city for best flossing habits while Chicago was at the bottom of the ranking, which was devised by a survey sponsored by DenTek.
The “Look Who’s Flossing” survey by DenTek reported that 45% of Los Angeles residents flossing at least once a day.
DenTek commissioned Mizzouri, LLC, an independent marketing research company, to conduct the survey of the 20 major metropolitan areas in the United States. The survey was conducted in January 2013.
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“We commissioned this consumer opinion survey to drill down into flossing habits and behaviors in America’s biggest cities,” said Charlotte Havely, vice president of marketing for DenTek. “About 35 percent of people we talked to are frequent flossers, which is very encouraging.”
The five best metropolitan area for flossing habits were Los Angeles, Boston, Detroit, Miami, and Atlanta. The five worst were Cleveland, Seattle, Dallas, San Francisco, and Chicago.
The survey reported that the biggest reason for not flossing is “just not thinking about it (27 percent).”
Additional survey findings include:
•1 in 10 reported never flossing
•Three quarters of flossers reported flossing in their home bathroom, but 11 percent said they will floss anywhere
The survey also asked participants about why they floss. The primary reasons cited were:
•37 percent – for overall health
•25 percent – recommended by dentist/hygienist
•19 percent – to protect dental investments
Havely said, “Health benefits usually come to mind when it comes to flossing, but more and more people are starting to understand the money savings aspect, too. If you take care of your teeth, by brushing and flossing regularly, you can alleviate pain down the road — in your mouth and your wallet.”
