Do you know what the most common dental disease is among American adults? And what percentage of people do you think actually make it to their biannual dental appointments?

By taking a moment to examine dental statistics, you can get a solid idea of where you may be ahead or behind in terms of your dental habits. They’re also useful for learning  about the diseases that are most common or most likely to go untreated. Discover these dental statistics from recent years and see how your oral health habits measure up.

Statistics About Attending Dental Appointments

• 35.4% of parents didn’t take their kids to their biannual dental appointments
• 21.3% of people had not been to the dentist in years
• Top reason people skip dental visits: The Cost (53%)

Attending our biannual dental visits is recommended for keeping our oral health in excellent condition. These statistics show that almost 40% of school-aged children don’t get their necessary dental care. This is disturbing since it’s setting their oral health habits up for failure, and greatly increasing their chances of getting gum disease at an early age.

For the 21.3% who are neglecting their dental visits for years at a time, they’re making themselves vulnerable to a lot of expensive problems in the long run. If standard dental appointments seem expensive, they’re nothing compared to the cost of surgeries and restorative treatments that will be needed if dental problems go untreated.

Number of Americans Who Are Missing Teeth

• 120 million Americans are missing at least one tooth
• More than 36 million Americans are missing all of their teeth

With about 30% of Americans missing at least one tooth, it’s clear that there’s a huge need for restorative treatments. An astonishing 36 million Americans – approximately 10% of the population – are missing all of their teeth in both arches. This demonstrates a need for education on the dangers of missing teeth since so many are in need of a restoration.

Untreated Dental Caries and Gum Disease in America

• 26.5% of American adults had untreated dental caries
• 18.2% of children had dental caries that weren’t being treated
• 47.2% of American adults had untreated gum disease

This is one of the main problems with avoiding biannual dental appointments. Patients think they don’t need the exam, but then they develop dental caries and gum disease which become worse over time. Letting either of these conditions go untreated allows them to spread, resulting in the need for more expensive treatments down the line. Ultimately, these stats illustrate the importance of attending your regularly scheduled dental appointments.

Find the Dental Care You Need at Sycamore Creek Dental

While many Americans don’t get the dental care they need for various reasons, you don’t have to be a statistic. By simply brushing and flossing everyday and making it to the dentist at least twice per year, you’re doing everything recommended to keep your smile strong and healthy. Ready for your next exam? Contact us today to make an appointment with Dr. Nguyen.