The 2022 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report has been released, with the findings suggesting Americans are caring more about their oral health, and recognizing its importance. Visits to dentists have risen, and most children have had improved access to dentistry. However, there is a lack of knowledge of the link between oral health and physical health, which has caused some concern.
Delta Dental have released the 2022 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report. The yearly report presents a nationwide view of the opinions and behaviours relating to oral health.
The findings were mainly positive. For example, most respondents were clearly aware of the importance of oral health. Moreover, more routine dentistry appointments were attended. Furthermore, there were less oral health issues for children [1].
However, there is a degree of concern over the lack of knowledge that most had in terms of of the link between physical and oral health [1]. This is an area that healthcare professionals hope will improve in the next year.
About the report
This annual report has become a very useful way of reviewing the overall state of oral health in the United States. It is commissioned by Delta Dental – the largest dental insurance provider in the US, with 83million Americans insured with them [1].
The research was conducted between the 19th and 28th of January by Material – a global insights and strategy consultancy [1]. The research involved American adults and parents of children aged 12 and younger.
Overall, they received responses to surveys from 1,027 Americans aged 19 and over. Additionally, there were 1,172 participants that were parents of children aged 12 and younger [1].
The report asked the respondents a range of questions which allowed them to self-assess their oral health and general oral hygiene [1]. The responses were then collated and analysed.
The Key Positive Findings
The conclusions drawn from the report were largely positive. The most promising finding was that 92% of adults and 96% of parents consider their oral health to be “very or extremely important” to their overall health [1].
Another pleasing aspect was the number of people attending the dentist. 89% of children attended the dentist in 2021, along with 72% of adults [1]. Both have risen when compared to 2020. 94% of adults in the survey signalled their intention to visit the dentist this year [1].
Much fewer parents reported that their children had experienced oral health issues throughout the year, when compared to recent years [1]. The researchers noted that this correlated with the finding that 92% of children visited the dentist for preventive reasons, rather than purely reactive reasons – up from 81% in 2020 [1].
The scale of the impact of Covid-19 on oral health continues to be realised. 55% of adults believe that Covid-19 has resulted in them making their oral health more of a priority [1].
Moreover, 63% of adults report paying closer attention to their oral habits due to Covid-19 [1]. Similarly, 74% of parents report paying closer attention to their children’s oral habits due to Covid-19 [1].
With more parents paying attention to the oral health of their children since Covid-19, it is unsurprising to see that many parents are worried about how oral health issues could affect their children. 70% of parents reported being concerned that poor oral health would have a poor impact on their child’s overall confidence [1].
The Key Negative Findings
However, despite the positives, there were some negatives. The researchers asked those who did not attend the dentist what the main barrier to dental care was. Unsurprisingly, the biggest issue was not being able to afford the cost of treatment [1].
Other barriers to oral healthcare also existed. For instance, other common barriers included lack of dental insurance, not wanting to visit a dental clinic during Covid-19 and having a fear of the dentist [1].
The main concern though of the researchers was how there was limited knowledge of the link between oral health and physical health [1]. This is an area that the researchers aim to address in the year ahead.
Many respondents did not realize that some medical conditions are linked to poor oral health. Only 38% of respondents knew about the link between oral health and strokes, with 37% knowing about the link with high blood pressure, and 36% being aware of the diabetes link [1].
As mentioned, this shows that there is room for improvement. But the researchers were pleased to report that 90% of adults said that they were interested in learning about oral health’s critical connection to overall health [1].
What this means
The findings are mainly positive, and compared to the last report, Americans do seem to be taking their oral health more seriously. Of course, with routine dentistry having been suspended due to Covid-19, it is natural that accessing dental services is easier now.
But the findings do show that there is room for improvement in terms of increasing awareness of the impact of oral health on physical health, and vice versa.
James W. Hutchison is the President & CEO of the Delta Dental Plans Association. He commented on the findings of the report [2]. He said that while most “understand that oral health is critically important to overall health”, many “don’t fully realize the ways oral health is linked to serious health issues” [2].
Hutchison stated that “unfortunately, this lack of understanding isn’t surprising, as people often think of the mouth and body as two distinct parts” [2]. He went on to say that his organisation aims “to partner with the public on their journey to better health”, which they aim to achieve by elevating “awareness of the essential role of oral health” [2].
It is now a case of waiting to see what progress is made over the next year in terms of overall oral health. It certainly seems that things are moving in the right direction, but that there is room for improvement.
Thinking points…
1) It is positive to see that Americans are aware of the importance of oral health. One of the most important parts of oral health is a simple check-up. A check-up allows a dentist to provide an overall summary of a patient’s oral health, and provide advice and guidance. If any problems are found, they can be acted on and treated. We recommend attending a check-up at least twice a year – why not book now!
2) If you stop and think about your oral health and hygiene – how would you answer the questions discussed in this article? Consider taking on board some of the key findings of this report – such as the link between oral and physical health. If you need some information, help or advice with your oral health, consider speaking with your dentist about this – they’ll be happy to help!
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provides advice, comfortable experience and treatment to improve the oral health of its patients, where needed.
Importantly, we recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is helpful.
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on your appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
References
[1] Delta Dental Plans Association. (2022). The 2022 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report. Available: https://www.deltadental.com/content/dam/ddpa/us/en/press-releases/DDPA_State%20of%20Oral%20Health%20Report_2022-Release.pdf. Last accessed: 13th May 2022.
[2] Delta Dental Plans Association. (2022). New Delta Dental report finds many are unaware of connection between poor oral health and serious medical conditions (but 9 in 10 want to learn more). Available: https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_health/new-delta-dental-report-finds-many-are-unaware-of-connection-between-poor-oral-health-and/article_e307ea8e-e7fa-5dd2-997d-669baa5e37eb.html. Last accessed: 13th May 2022.
