Eight in 10 Brits do not know about the link between poor mental and dental health.
This is according to research conducted on behalf of Bupa among more than 2,000 adults across the UK which found two in three (65%) of 18 to 34-year-olds admitted to knowing more about their mental health than their dental health.
Around 19% of this age group acknowledged they did not know there was any connection between oral health and mental wellbeing.
In fact, just 13% of all Brits felt they were better informed about their dental health than their mental health.
Indeed, 85% of respondents did not think mental health problems have anything to do with the health of their teeth, tongue or gums. And only 12% knew it was connected to panic attacks, while just 7% understood the links to bipolar disorder.
But the research also indicated low public awareness of the links to serious physical conditions, with just over half (53%) of the population recognising the link to mouth cancer.
Even fewer were aware of connections to other conditions like diabetes (25%) or heart illness (14%).
According to the research, this lack of awareness is having a direct impact on the workplace, with employers counting the cost of employee absences due to dental issues amid 37% of workers needing to take time away from work due to oral pain.
This was before accounting for leave taken due to illness that could have been detected earlier through dental visits.
Those who call in sick due to dental pain miss nearly a full day of around 6.5 hours on average each time, meaning a company with a headcount of 100 would be losing £4,129.87 a year.
This calculation is based on the mean UK gross annual salary of £35,828 and average absence length of 0.81 days.
Just 15% of workers have dental insurance through their employer and a further 10% were unaware, when asked, if dental was included in their benefits package.
Coverage dropped further among older respondents, with just 10% of those aged 45-54 having cover and 7% of those above 55.
But the research also showed improvements to their workplace benefits would make 34% of professionals feel more valued, while 24% said it would make them more motivated and the same proportion felt it would foster more loyalty toward their employer.
Costs were cited as the number one reason workers put off regular dental check-ups (32%).
And 34% said employer support through time off, workplace insurance and clearer communication on what was included would help them prioritise appointments.
Ann Stewart, director of dental insurance at Bupa, said: “Employers and people teams need to balance rewarding and retaining the best talent with their businesses’ broader goals.
“Great progress has been made in recognising the central role mental health plays in overall wellbeing and consequently how we perform at work, but attitudes towards dental care have been slower to catch up.
“Not only do oral health issues cost people time at work, it can also be an indicator of broader health problems.
“Workplaces have a growing responsibility in the UK to encourage workers to prioritise their wellbeing and help remove any barriers that might be in place.”
Stewart called on businesses to prioritise creating an environment where their employers feel empowered to tackle any health issues they face.
“This can be done by investing in educational opportunities, introducing policies that make it easier for people to make time for appointments, or even investing in health benefits packages,” Stewart concluded.
