It is no secret that poor dental health is a deal breaker when it comes to dating. Even those already in relationships could be affected if their dental health goes downhill. According to a survey conducted by Delta Dental Plans Association, 27% of women and 22% of men say they will break up with someone who doesn’t brush their teeth at least twice a day. Furthermore, 40% of women and 20% of men say they will break up with someone if they found out they are using their toothbrush. Even more telling is that 67% of women and 60% of men will break up with someone who has poor oral health hygiene.
The study was conducted between December 16, 2015, and January 14, 2016, and is believed to be from a representative sample of Americans with a margin of error of +/- roughly 3%. This shows that brushing teeth twice a day and flossing regularly along with seeing a dentist regularly is important for your romantic relationships. While in many cases it would seem natural that before one starts dating someone they will be able to have a good idea of their potential mates dental health, it is possible that after months or years of dating or even being married this could change. If dental health takes a turn for the worse in a marriage and the other partner tries to repair the relationship through marriage counseling but to no avail, even a divorce could result.
Other ways that dental health could contribute negatively to a relationship include kissing. If you have bad breath also know as Halitosis certain chemicals are emitted that could be interpreted by one’s brain as a danger to one’s health. The same study from Delta Dental found that 70% of women and 65% of men say they will not kiss someone they believe has poor oral health. Certainly if a couple is no longer kissing this could led to less intimacy and an eventual breakup.
Another way that dental health could contribute negatively to a relationship also includes if one has crooked or disclosed teeth. If someone has teeth that don’t look very appealing they may be less inclined to smile. The study from Delta Dental also found that 73% of men and 72% of women are attracted to someone who smiles often. It makes sense that having teeth that look nice would also be more appealing to the opposite sex. Having crooked or discolored teeth can make one be less confident which could lead to smiling less frequently. This could cause the other person in the relationship to experience feelings of embarrassment and to become defensive in conversations with others which could contribute to an eventual break-up.
Finally, teeth grinding could led to problems with one’s love life. If you are sharing the same bed as your partner and you are constantly grinding your teeth during your sleep it could be disturbing to your partner if they happen to watch it. Even more so, the person who is having the teeth grinding could have more frequent headaches and experience jaw pain which could led to less intimate behavior with their partner. The study by Delta Dental found that 74% of women and 68% of men consider oral health to be one of the sexiest qualities a person can have. If you are experiencing any dental problems it is probably best to do your best to have them resolved now so that your love life and romantic relationships are not negatively affected.