Table 4.

Attitudes and perceptions about oral health

Lack of agency/control over oral health

1. I know some people maintain good standard of teeth through to old age but I think quite a few of them have had – even younger than me – replacements and dentures (…..) I’m nearly seventy so, it would be unsurprising that my teeth were deteriorating somewhat (P13)

2. Should brush twice a day, but I think it’s too late. [Laughs] You know? I’ve only got eleven bottom teeth left (P28)

3. I brush, I use the toothpaste that you buy from the chemist. Like I try and do everything but there’s nothing that can sort of save them—now it’s just sort of trying to prevent more damage but I just want them ripped out. Just give me dentures, I don’t care (P7)

4. Well, I've never liked them. They've always been crooked. And now they're just- they just keep falling out. They’re just no good (P26)

Low prioritisation of oral health

5. Well, up until two years ago I suppose, or a year and a half ago, I didn’t sort of think about it too much. Occasionally I’d go to the dentist and get a filling here and there. But for some reason, in the last two years, my teeth have deteriorated pretty badly. So, you know now, it’s pretty important (P2)

6. Oh, I think it's just, I never considered looking after them- it's just laziness I guess. It's not part of my normal routine [laughs]. But it is becoming part of my normal routine. I have a lot of other health issues and I've been concentrating on them more (P8)

7. People have to realise the importance and that's what motivates you. You know? The importance. I mean, look at all the people that gave up smoking when those adds came out with those horrible things on the packets (….). When they saw those images. Yeah. I think if people knew what can happen to you, when you don’t look after your teeth. Maybe warnings, you know? (P21)

8. I tend to neglect my health a little bit. I suffer from depression and I get days when I can’t do anything (P2)

Misconceptions about preventive oral health practices

9. Well, you know, the bottom line is to be able to go and get these problems looked at on a regular basis (…….) I’d love to be able to – when I’ve got an abscess or a toothache or whatever – that I could just- because sometimes you have to wait quite a while and when you’ve got an abscess (P21)

10. If you’re younger you don’t need to check your teeth every year. You can check ten years or twenty years. But after fifty years of old, you need one year. Like I see my eye doctor, and my ears doctor, every one year (P5)