PRINCETON, N.J., April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At what point (if ever) in a relationship do men and women feel comfortable sharing their toothbrush with each other? If women had to choose between not brushing their teeth for a week or not shaving their legs for a week, which would they choose? And as powered toothbrushes become more popular, what do Americans feel is an appropriate alternative use for their old-fashioned manual brushes?
The makers of Crest(R) SPINBRUSH(R) fielded a survey earlier this year to uncover answers to these and many other questions related to brushing our teeth. Below are some of the unexpected results from the more than 750 respondents:
Essential Travel Companion
If they had to spend an unexpected night away from home, more than three out of five Americans (62 percent) say not having their own toothbrush would be worse than not having clean underwear.
Women Prefer to Give Their Smile a Leg Up
A whopping 92 percent of women respondents would rather go a week without shaving their legs than go a week without brushing their teeth.
More Power To Them
Two-thirds of Americans (67 percent) recognize the efficacy of a powered toothbrush, stating that they feel powered toothbrushes are more likely to deliver a deeper clean than a manual brush. That's not surprising, since SPINBRUSH(R) Pro-Series(TM) power brushes remove up to 70% more plaque in hard to reach places than manual brushes.
Clean Freak
Nearly 85 percent of respondents are so obsessed with clean teeth that they have been known to keep extra toothbrushes on hand just about everywhere: from their purse or briefcase (24 percent), to their office (20 percent), as well as their car (18 percent).
"Lost" Without Their Toothbrush
If they were stuck on a deserted island, almost half of Americans (48 percent) said having their toothbrush would be more important than having toilet paper.
First Impressions
At a job interview, 68 percent of those surveyed would be more embarrassed if they forgot to brush their teeth than if they forgot to put on deodorant.
Manual Toothbrushes Get the Brush-Off
Nearly half of Americans (46 percent) feel that old-fashioned manual toothbrushes are more properly suited to clean bathroom tile grout than their teeth.
Make a Powerful Statement
So what is preventing more manual toothbrush users from embracing the future of oral care and using a powered toothbrush? Nearly one in three think that powered brushes are expensive. So manual brush users will be happy to learn that SPINBRUSH(R) Swirl(TM) is a new inexpensive option that allows manual users to take a power brush for a test drive. SPINBRUSH(R) Swirl(TM) delivers the feel and control of a manual toothbrush but with 20 times more brush strokes. SPINBRUSH(R) Swirl(TM) has a head that oscillates for a deeper clean in hard-to-reach spots and has a suggested retail price of $3.99 -- not much more than most manual toothbrushes on the market.
Make Your Dentist Happy
When manual users switch to a powered brush, the majority experience positive results. For example, the survey found that nearly nine in ten (88 percent) respondents who have already switched to a powered brush have experienced fewer dental problems.
When it Matters Most
A third (33%) of Americans say they want their teeth especially clean for their wedding -- more so than for a big date (18%), a job interview (16%) or high school reunion (9%).
Brushing Boundaries
More than two in three women respondents (68 percent) would never consider sharing a toothbrush with their significant other. On the other hand, nearly half of men (49 percent) are OK with sharing their toothbrush with their significant other, with 19 percent of them feeling comfortable doing so within the first one to three months of a relationship.
Enticing the Kids
60 percent of parents say they buy toothbrushes decked out in their kids' favorite colors or featuring their favorite characters so that their children will brush their teeth without putting up a fight. Hulk, Spiderman, and Pikachu can be found on Crest(R) SPINBRUSH(R) character brushes.
Celebrities "Open Wide"
Halle Berry (33 percent) and Jessica Alba (19%) ranked as having the best teeth on the red carpet, while Denzel Washington (46 percent) and George Clooney (32 percent) were the top men's choice.
Crest(R) SpinBrush(R) is one of the leading battery-operated toothbrush brands in the United States, offering innovative design and superior oral care. SpinBrush(R) power toothbrushes for adults include: SpinBrush(R) Pro Whitening(TM), Pro Clean, Pro Select(R), SpinBrush Pro Recharge(R), ClassicClean, and Slim. Kid-licensed brushes include Holly Hobbie, Spider-Man, Wolverine and Hulk. Non-licensed line includes: Dolphin, Ice-Cream Cone, Fire Truck, and Astronaut. SpinBrush(R) has earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. For more information visit www.spinbrush.com.
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (NYSE: CHD) acquired the SpinBrush brand from The Procter & Gamble Company in 2005. Crest(R) is a registered trademark of The Procter & Gamble Company, used under license by Church & Dwight Co., Inc. SpinBrush is a registered trademark of Church & Dwight Co., Inc. for its battery powered toothbrushes. MARVEL, Marvel heroes, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk: TM & (R) 2007 Marvel Characters, Inc. Used under license from Marvel Characters, Inc. HOLLY HOBBIE(TM) & FRIENDS and related names/logos are trademarks of Those Characters From Cleveland, Inc., an American Greetings Company.
SOURCE Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
