For those who are fortunate to have good jobs with health and dental insurance – having biannual dental checkups can help to catch oral health concerns early on.
However, for America's underserved population – without proper insurance, dental visits become a luxury many cannot afford.
Statistics have revealed that poverty, culture, geography and lack of awareness of the relationship between oral health and overall health, create barriers to access to good dental care.
Here are some startling statistics pertaining to dental and oral health:
- 25% of children from low-income families do not see a dentist before entering kindergarten.
- 80% of tooth decay is concentrated in 25% of children in the U.S., with higher levels in the African American and Hispanic communities.
- Hispanic children are now the least likely population to receive preventive dental care.
- Americans age 2-11 who live below poverty line are twice as likely to have untreated decay as their more affluent peers.
- 51 million school hours are lost each year to dental-related illnesses.
- Tooth decay has become the single most common chronic childhood disease.
- Dental illness in children is FIVE TIMES more common than asthma and SEVEN TIMES more common than hay fever.
- For many adults whose childhood oral health was overlooked, their untreated cavities, gum disease and other dental issues may now be contributors to diabetes, respiratory problems, heart disease and even stroke.
- Adults lose more than 164 million hours of work each year due to dental disease or emergency dental visits.
- Oral and pharyngeal cancers are diagnosed in approximately 30,000 Americans and sadly, around 8,000 die each year from these diseases.
- Sadly, the prognosis is very poor: the 5 year survival rate for white patients is 56%, and only 34% for African Americans.
- 23% of adults between age 56-74 have severe periodontal disease, and even higher for those living below the poverty line.
When dental care is not available to individuals due to their economic status, private charitable organizations must fill the gap.
Delta Dental of NJ Foundation proudly gives significant grants to many NJ and CT organizations that provide dental education and oral health care to the underserved.
Since 1986, the Delta Dental of NJ Foundation has awarded almost $12 million to this cause.
By educating those most “at risk” for dental problems and increasing access to dental care, we are able to help reduce the need for complex and urgent dental treatment stemming from poor oral care.
For further information, visit us at www.deltadentalnj.com
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