Flossing May Be the Key to Finding Love

Canadians Would Turn Down Dates with Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston if They Had Bad Breath TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb. 5, 2014) - As Valentine's Day approaches, singles everywhere are scrambling to find that perfect someone to wine and dine. A survey released by DenTek, a national leader in oral care products, revealed that 79 percent of Canadians surveyed would turn down a date with Brad Pitt, while 69 percent would say no to a night on the town with Jennifer Aniston if these A-Listers had bad breath. With mouth health proving to be important in the dating game, flossing could be the key to meeting a match.

According to DenTek's "Look Who's Flossing" Survey, Vancouver takes the title of Canada's best flossing city, with 36 percent of Vancouverites surveyed declaring they floss daily. Toronto placed close to dead last with only 18 percent of Torontonians surveyed making flossing part of their daily routine.

In a similar survey undertaken by DenTek in the U.S., Los Angeles, California's star- studded capital known for flashy smiles, ranked first in the nation for flossing, with Chicago taking last place.

"It's surprising how many Canadians revealed that they never floss," notes Rachel Scharfman, DenTek's Brand Manager. "Although 25 percent of Montreal's respondents floss daily, 19 percent of respondents revealed they never floss, making it the city with the highest percentage of respondents not taking part in the habit at all."

Laws of Attraction 
While 8 percent of Canadians surveyed believe good hair plays a key role in attraction; top votes were given to a person's smile, with 51 percent of Canadian respondents noting it as the feature most likely to attract them to someone else.

Timid Flossers
When asked if they floss in front of their partners, Canadians surveyed revealed they are not too keen on having an audience. Only three of ten cities surveyed had over 50 percent of respondents who broke out the floss when their partner was near. Winnipeg is most likely to floss in front of their partner, with 59 percent of those surveyed claiming they floss in their partner's presence. Edmonton is least likely, with only 16 percent of respondents revealing they floss in their partner's company.

Location, location, location 
When it comes to where people like to floss, there were few cities that liked to take their flossing outside of the bathroom. However, top flossing city Vancouver showed they weren't picky about where their flossing took place, with 11 percent of respondents noting they would floss anywhere. Besides the number one answer of flossing in their home bathroom, Montrealers were most likely to take to flossing in the office restroom while residents of Ottawa preferred flossing in their cars to the workplace.

Date Night 

While flossing might not be a priority for all, the majority of Canadians in all cities surveyed indicated they flossed before going out on a date. Vancouver led the pack with 84 percent of those surveyed flossing before date night, while Halifax followed with 83 percent flossing before hitting the town with someone special. Even St. John's, the Canadian city with the worst flossing habits changed their attitude when it came to date night, with 76 percent of respondents picking up the floss before a rendezvous.

What a Smile Says 
Fifty-six percent of respondents associated nice teeth with being well-groomed while 26 percent felt people with nice teeth are well-liked by others. "Maintaining oral health usually comes to mind when discussing flossing, however, our survey revealed there are additional benefits associated with flossing that can actually help attract others," notes Scharfman. "If people are most drawn to those with a nice smile, it only makes sense to take care of it as best you can."

Just a click away 
With more singles than ever turning to online dating, a good-looking smile could mean more traffic to a profile. Although Vancouver women have been deemed the pickiest online daters in Canada according to dating site AYI.com, Vancouverites are also Canada's best flossers. If picky daters like flossing, it's probably a good idea to keep that smile as healthy as ever - it could mean the difference between splurging on dinner for two or putting in the usual take-out order for one this Valentine's day.
#DenTekKiss About DenTek's "Look Who's Flossing" Survey Bryant Research LLC, an independent marketing research company, conducted a survey with the top 10 major metropolitan areas in Canada. Completed in November 2013, the survey focused on consumer's awareness of and attitudes toward oral care issues, including flossing and bruxism, also known as teeth grinding.  DenTek DenTek is a worldwide leader in innovative oral care products including floss picks, interdental brush cleaners, dental guards for nighttime bruxism, disposable dental picks, braces care and dental repair. DenTek products are available in retail stores nationally at Walmart, Target, London Drugs and Shoppers Drug Mart.