Studies suggest that 60 per cent of adults don’t brush their own teeth correctly so tooth decay is on the rise despite fluoride in drinking in water and the advances in modern dentistry.

Shockingly, one million under-fives have at least two fillings and approximately 36,000 children under 16 go to hospital for tooth extractions caused by decay every year.  On average most adults in the UK only brush their teeth for 40 seconds instead of the recommended two minutes.

Dental advisor at the British Dental Health Foundation, Karen Coates, says: “Studies show electric toothbrushes – not the battery-operated ones that lose power – are up to 45% more effective at cleaning than manual brushes.  The best ones are ones that oscillate and pulsate, have an inbuilt timer and include a pressure sensor that buzzes or flashes if you brush too hard.”