Seven MILLION Britons don't brush their teeth regularly - with many going at least two DAYS before they pick up a toothbrush

21% of Britons also forget to floss regularly

25% forget to cover their mouth when coughing and fail to wash their hands after going to the toilet

7.5 million Britons also forget to shower daily

Seven million Britons do not clean their teeth regularly, a new survey has revealed.

One in seven admitted to leaving it two whole days before they picked up a toothbrush and 21 per cent also said they forget to floss.

The study also revealed that 25 per cent of people spread germs by forgetting to cover their mouth when coughing and by forgetting to wash their hands after going to the toilet.

The study, carried out by the British Dental Health Foundation, also showed that people’s attitudes to oral hygiene have not improved in the last two years.

In the previous 2011 study, 28 per cent of Britons admitted not brushing their teeth once in every 24 hour period and one in seven people said they sometimes went more than two days without cleaning their teeth.

But it’s not only oral hygiene habits that slip people’s mind

According to the 2013 study, more than 7.5 million adults in the UK also forget to shower.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, said: ‘What surprises me the most is that some of these things are basic hygiene tasks.

‘It is troubling to learn that people still have a poor attitude when it comes to their oral health. 

‘Anyone who regularly skips brushing their teeth morning or night is storing up oral health problems for the future such as tooth decay and gum disease – the biggest cause of tooth loss.

‘Brushing last thing at night removes the deposits which have built up from eating and drinking during the day, as well as removing plaque – the cause of both tooth decay and gum disease. 

‘The last brush of the day also coats the teeth with fluoride, which is not washed away through eating and drinking, and continues to protect the tooth’s surface further during sleep.

‘Flossing is also something that really is not a luxury. 

'Removing food stuck in between your teeth close to gum lines is a really important step to preventing gum disease, and the most effective way of doing this is to use interdental brushes or floss. 

‘Brushing alone only cleans 60 per cent of the tooth's surface, so this is an excellent way of keeping plaque at bay.’

The British Dental Health Foundation recommends that people brush their teeth for two minutes twice a day using fluoride toothpaste, cut down their consumption of sugary food and drink, and visit their dentist regularly.

The findings come after a Sweatband.com survey revealed that only a fifth of women wash their gym kit after every exercise session, compared to a quarter of men.

The study found the most common excuses for re-using workout clothes included saving it for a bigger wash (24 per cent), that they didn’t have enough kit (22 per cent) or that they simply couldn’t be bothered (17 per cent).