How do adults in the United States view their oral health?

Oral health affects all aspects of our life--our health, our ability to interview for a job, our ability to enjoy food, and satisfaction in life. Many Americans struggle.

Here are some statistics on how adults in the U.S. think about oral health and how it affects them.

One in 11 adults (9%) say that the condition of the Mouth and Teeth is poor.

For low income families, it's more than double that amount--1 in 5 (20%).

‍

Twenty-eight percent say that life in general is less satisfying due to the condition of their mouth and teeth.

For low income adults, more than 1 out of 3 (38%) say that life in general is less satisfying due to the poor condition of the their teeth and mouth.

More than 1 out of 4 (28%) say that there teeth negatively affect job interviews.

Pain is a top oral health problem for young adults.

Adults in the U.S. value oral health and believe that regular visits help keep them healthy.

Unfortunately, the positive beliefs and good intentions don't result in better care.

The reasons are varied.

The reality is taking care of our teeth and mouth pays out in the long run. We urge everyone to prioritize yourself, your health and your self care.

‍

https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/us-oral-health-well-being.pdf