Most people in the Netherlands (76 per cent) brush their teeth at least two times a day. Another 22 per cent brush once a day, while 2 per cent do not brush every day. This is evident from new figures reported for RIVM’s Oral Health Monitor. There is a link between how often people brush and clean between their teeth and whether they visit a dentist or dental hygienist. People who indicate that they brush their teeth at least two times a day are more likely to visit a dentist or dental hygienist than people who brush once a day or who do not brush their teeth every day.
In addition, people who brush their teeth at least two times a day are more likely to rate their oral health (in Dutch) as good or very good (76%) than people who brush once a day (63%) and those who do not brush every day (39%). People who do not brush their teeth every day report a toothache twice as often as people who brush at least two times a day. Furthermore, people who visited a dentist or dental hygienist in the past year are more likely to report a toothache than people who did not. A possible reason for this is that people visit more often precisely because of the pain.
Dentist or dental hygienist visits
Most people in the Netherlands (84 per cent) visited a dentist or dental hygienist in the past year. People who visited a dentist or dental hygienist are more likely to report good or very good oral health than people who did not. They are also more likely to have at least 20 of their own teeth.
Income and level of education
The figures also show that people on higher incomes and people educated to higher professional education or academic education level are more likely to rate their oral health as good or very good than people on lower incomes or people educated to primary school, pre-vocational secondary education or senior secondary vocational education 1 level. Additionally, people in the former group are more likely to have at least 20 of their own teeth, are less likely to have dentures and are more likely to visit a dentist or dental hygienist. People on lower incomes are more likely to indicate that they do not visit a dentist or dental hygienist because of the cost.
About the Oral Health Monitor
RIVM has been monitoring oral health since 2023, on the instruction of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. The Ministry asked RIVM to monitor oral health as there was a lack of structural information about oral health in the Netherlands. The monitor is still being developed. In the coming year, information will be gathered about – among other things – the number of cavities and fillings in teeth and about the incidence of poor gum health. The website VZinfo.nl provides an overview of all figures pertaining to oral health (in Dutch).