The Winning Battle Against Tooth Loss
If you ever thought that maybe skipping your next dental visit would be fine, you might want to consider reading the CDC’s 2019 Oral Surveillance Report. The report shows almost universal improvement in multiple areas of dental health. It also compares findings from 1999-2004 to findings from 2011-2016, and good news: dental caries and tooth loss are down even among people over the age of 65.
That decrease in tooth loss for people over 65 is especially impressive considering this group is increasingly filling up with older and older people who eventually need dental implants. One difference that comes to mind for this age group when comparing the more recent findings to those from 1999-2004 is the increased quality and accessibility of reliable dental care that happened early enough in life.
What’s even more impressive is that all of this is happening while America’s obesity rate continues to soar, and people are more likely to have diabetes, both of which are factors usually associated with dental issues. Again, the importance of regular dental visits can’t be stressed enough.
While it’s never too late to see a dentist, waiting too long may cause a minor issue to become a much larger one. Don’t hesitate to contact our Newburyport or Salem dental offices for an appointment!