70 | HealthLinksSC.com Research was conducted by email invitation and online surveys of two audiences: 1,000 nationally representative Americans ages 18 and older and 1,253 parents of children 12 and under. The survey found*: 64% of adults replace their toothbrush at least every three months, as recommended by the American Dental Association. This represents a 10% increase from 2022. 81% of adults who maintained regular dental office visits said they did not require unexpected care in the future. 34% of parents with children experiencing dental issues have been forced to deal with at least one inconvenience – the most prominent being that their children miss an average of four days of school. AGE 1 – The time for parents to start dental visits for children and begin to model good brushing and flossing routines at home for their kids’ long-term oral health and wellness. While dental methods and knowledge now include fluoridated water, digital dentistry and a decades-long, concerted effort by the ADA stressing the importance of oral care, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2023 that the prevalence of dental caries remains greater than 40% among people between the age of 2 and 19. Plus, the fear or dislike of dental visits hasn’t changed much in the last 70 years. “It is somewhat discouraging that even as dental care access and quality have increased, fear and anxiety have persisted in the United States,” said Dr. Jocelyne Feine, professor in the faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences at McGill University in Montreal. “Nearly 20% of U.S. adults experience moderate to high dental fear/anxiety. These estimates are relatively consistent with those documented since the 1950s.” The irony is that tooth care is one of the easiest and least scary parts of overall health – if practiced early and maintained daily. “And visiting the same dentist who can evaluate your dental health on an ongoing basis can help identify and mitigate issues before they become bigger problems and potentially more costly and painful,” Dr. Grover said. Lewis is a great example of the benefits of early, consistent dental care; he has all of his original teeth, a healthy smile and every intention of keeping them both forever. “I take better care of my teeth now than I ever did, thanks to Dr. Flynn, and later to Dr. Harry Davis, who showed me proper care methods which I use every day,” Lewis said. “And I still like going to the dentist as much as I ever did.” HEALTHY SMILES By the Numbers From Jan. 6 until Jan. 23, 2023, Delta Dental Plans Association, a not-for-profit national association of 39 independent Delta Dental companies based in Oak Brook, Illinois, commissioned research for its State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report. 79% of adults brush their teeth twice a day. 36% of adults use mouthwash once a day. 31% of adults floss their teeth once a day. *Source: deltadental.com Tooth care is one of the easiest and least scary parts of overall health – if practiced early and maintained daily. “ “
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