Today, Delta Dental released the 2022 State of America's Oral Health and
Wellness Report, a nationwide analysis of consumer opinions and behaviors
relating to oral health. Findings from the Delta Dental-commissioned research
of U.S. adults and parents of children ages 12 and younger illuminate what they
thought about their oral health and what they did to properly care for it at
home and with their dentist during 2021.
A few highlights from this year's
report include:
Public interest prevails in getting smarter about oral health's link to
better health
- Nearly
all U.S. adults (92%) and parents (96%) indicate that they consider oral
health to be very, if not extremely, important to overall health.
- However,
the research finds that many are unaware of how oral health and overall
health are connected, as a significant number of people were unable to
recognize the medical conditions that are linked to poor oral health,
including strokes (38%), high blood pressure (37%) and diabetes (36%).
- The
promising news is 9 in 10 (90%) adults are interested in learning about
oral health's critical connection to overall health.
Visits to dentist on the rise
- Most
children (89%) and adults (72%) went to the dentist last year.
- This
year, significantly fewer parents report that their children are
experiencing or have experienced oral health issues compared to surveys
from the previous two years, which could correlate to the finding that
significantly more children visited their dentist for preventive reasons
in 2021 (92%) than the year before (81% in 2020).
- Nearly
all (94%) adults plan to visit the dentist this year.
New research finds 9 in 10 U.S. adults want to
learn about oral health's critical connection to overall health.
"While the survey indicates that most adults and parents across the
United States understand that oral health is critically important to overall
health, it appears that most don't fully realize the ways oral health is linked
to serious health issues. Unfortunately, this lack of understanding isn't
surprising, as people often think of the mouth and body as two distinct
parts," said James W. Hutchison, President & CEO, Delta Dental Plans
Association. "One way we continue to partner with the public on their
journey to better health is by maintaining our commitment to elevate their
awareness of the essential role of oral health."
To read the full 2022 State of America's Oral Health and Wellness Report and
learn more about the report's methodology and findings, click here.
About the research
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, a global insights and strategy consultancy, using an email
invitation and online surveys to two audiences recruited through an opt-in
panel:
- 1,172
parents of children ages 12 and younger.
- 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 83 million Americans, and offering the
country's largest dental network with approximately 154,000 participating
dentists. Visit deltadental.com for information on individual dental insurance plans and group dental insurance plans.
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