The dating game is pretty cut throat these days.
With the advent of Tinder and the whole online dating thing, you've got to bring your A-game or you'll be out the door quicker that you can say 'swipe left'.
When you land yourself a date you're going to want to make a good impression.
As they say, you only get one chance to make that first impression - so make it a good one.
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That means turning up on time, looking sharp, brimming with wit and charm and deftly managing to drink just the right amount to give you a bit of Dutch courage without you going overboard and ending up like Frank Gallagher after a heavy night at the Jockey.
But to give you a sporting chance of success a new study have found some of the worst turn-offs British people have on first date.
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If you're living in hope of a second date, then it might be good to take heed of the things that this study by Europe’s largest dental treatment provider,
mydentist, came up with.
More than half (57%) of people surveyed agreed that bad personal hygiene was their main peeve. This was closely followed by rudeness (40%) and being too distracted by technology (36%).
So in reverse order, here's what NOT to do on that all-important, ice-breaking first date, according to the 750 people polled...
5 - Discussing previous partners
You'd imagine this was just good old fashioned common sense not to mention to 'ex' word. Your date probably doesn't want to hear about how amazing your ex-girlfriend was, see pictures of her or hear about the time you got caught doing things you shouldn't on the back of a bus.
Equally she isn't going to be overly captivated with a two-hour sob story about how your harridan of an ex-wife ruined everything, took your five kids and left you scarred for life and a bitter mysogynist.
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4 - Spending too much time on your phone
We know you love your phone - we love ours too. That's why we have to look at it every two seconds to make sure it's okay and just to check there are no new Snapchats incoming.
But maintaining eye contact is critical in the Art of Conversation. Looking your date in the eye when they're chatting away not only shows you're paying attention, but it also infers qualities like warmth, friendliness, trustworthiness, honesty and sincerity and makes you appear more attractive.
If your gaze is averted down to your phone every minute, your date's quickly going to think you don't give a shit. Slink off to the toilet if you
have to check the football score.
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3 Bad manners
It's a first date. Leave the bad manners until you're both married, middle aged and hate each other's guts anyway.
Remember that first impression? It's going to be a bad one if you do any of the following: burp, fart, make sexist comments, be a dick with the bar staff, insist your date pays the entire bill etc, etc.
Be a gentleman - or at least try not to be a complete prick.
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2 Bad breath
It's 2016 for fuck's sake - there's tooth brushes, mouthwash, breath mints, floss and innumerable other dental hygiene products out there that will ensure you're nothing less than minty fresh.
If you've got any vague hope of getting lucky, go armed. Take chewing gum, mints, spray - anything you can get your hands on. Nobody's going to want to make out with someone who tastes like an ashtray that's been shat in.
If you're going out for dinner, give garlic a swerve. Or if you insist, get some parsley down afterwards to neutralise that pungent garlic breath.
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1 Poor hygiene
This was the number one turn-off for British people on dates. But we have to ask ourselves why? It really can't be that difficult to have a shower, spray on some deodorant, floss your teeth, stick a comb through your hair and maybe give your (clean and freshly washed) shirt a flick with the iron.
If you're rocking up at a date looking like nobody owns you and smelling like you slept in a bin, you'll be lucky to even get past the first drink - never mind the first date.
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With a dental company having put together the research, it was only right they offered some advice on good oral hygiene before you go out and ruin your chances on your first date.
Steve Williams, Clinical Services Director at mydentist, says
“With such a huge rise in the popularity of online dating, there is only so much a two-dimensional picture can tell you and you want to be sure you’ve made a good first impression. You aren’t going to know if someone has unpleasant breath until you’re face-to-face with them, and by that time it’s too late.
“Thankfully for the majority of people, bad breath is something that can easily be avoided. Give your teeth a good brush and floss before you leave the house, and keep sugar-free chewing gum or mints handy for after you have eaten. It never hurts to examine your teeth after the meal - to check you have no unsightly greens stuck in between them!
“But it’s not enough to look after your teeth on the day of a first date. Good oral care all year round is key to keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Bad breath is caused by a buildup of bacteria, particularly in between your teeth. For fresher smelling breath and healthier teeth, you should brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes, and visit your dentist for regular check ups.
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