In recognition of National Dental Hygiene Month, Delta Dental shares encouraging findings from its 2022 survey showing U.S. adults and parents are doing their part to practice diligent oral care at home.
The good news also extends to the dentist, as more adults and children made
oral health preventive visits in 2022 than the year prior. Key findings from
the 2022 study include:
Following best practices
- US.
adults follow recommended oral health guidelines at home – brushing their
teeth twice a day, and flossing and using mouthwash once a day, on
average.
- More
than half of U.S. adults (55%) follow ADA guidelines on how often to
replace toothbrushes, while a vast majority of parents (93%) do the same
for their children.
Going beyond the toothbrush
- Nearly
1 in 2 adults (49%) use fluoride products, and approximately 4 in 5
parents (79%) believe fluoride is very, if not extremely, important to
their child's oral health and prevents cavities.
- To
improve their oral health and smiles, 20% of adults use whitening
products, 15% use a tongue scraper, and 10% use either a mouth guard or
night guard.
Always room for improvement
- About
2 in 3 (65%) moms and dads find it difficult to get their child to brush
their teeth, with 1 in 4 (25%) reporting their child does not like the
taste of toothpaste.
"Oral health is critically important to overall health and
well-being," said Joseph Dill, DDS, MBA, Chief Dental Officer, Delta
Dental Plans Association. "In our national study, I am encouraged to see
how adults and children across the country are committed to good oral health
care through brushing, flossing, and making regular dentist visits to enhance
their overall quality of life."
Learn more about consumer opinions and behaviors related to oral health in
the Delta Dental State of America's Oral Health and Wellness Report.
About the survey
The 2022 State of America's Oral Health and Wellness Report is based upon
Delta Dental-commissioned research conducted between January 19 and January 28,
2022, by Material Holdings, LLC, a global insights and strategy consultancy.
The research used an email invitation and online surveys to two audiences
recruited through an opt-in panel of 1,172 parents of children ages 12 and
younger and 1,027 nationally representative Americans ages 18+.
Quotas were set to ensure a reliable and accurate representation of the U.S.
population of adults and parents with children ages 12 and younger. The report
has a margin of error of +/- 3%.
Follow us on Twitter @DeltaDental and Facebook: Delta Dental Plans Association
Based in Oak Brook,
Illinois, Delta Dental Plans Association is the not-for-profit national
association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these
companies, Delta Dental is the nation's largest dental insurance provider,
covering more than 85 million Americans and offering the country's largest
dental network with approximately 154,000 participating dentists. Over the last
decade, Delta Dental companies provided over $1.88 billion in direct and
in-kind support to improve the oral health of our communities. Visit deltadental.com for information on individual dental insurance plans and group dental insurance plans.
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