Dental Care State By State: Where Do You Stack Up?

Growing up, most of us learned how to brush our teeth and gums, and were instructed to do so at least twice a day, without exception -- and for good reason. Beyond the obvious benefits of dental health, which include avoiding unsightly teeth stains and painful cavities, a healthy mouth has been increasingly linked to other health issues.

Just this summer, a study found a possible link between gum disease and an increased difficulty conceiving children, and periodontal disease has been linked to a host of heart problems -- including coronary artery disease -- as well as an increased chance of becoming diabetic. It seems fairly clear that oral health is something that we shouldn't be neglecting. Unfortunately, a recent Gallup poll suggests that many Americans do just that.

177,000 adults throughout the U.S. were interviewed for the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, and asked if they had visited a dentist in the past 12 months. Overall, only 65 percent of adults said that they had, which leaves a large segment of the population without adequate dental care. And since the data was collected by state, the survey also reveals some telling regional differences in oral health:

Regionally, people living in states in the Northeast and upper Midwest are the most likely to say they visited the dentist in the past 12 months. Southern states, on the other hand, have the lowest percentages of people who say they visited the dentist. The nine states with the lowest incidence of dentist visits are in the South.

One of the major contributing factors to this trend has to do with access to health insurance. In the 10 states where the most people had visited a dentist in the past year, residents were -- on average -- more than 15 percent more likely to have health insurance that in the states that fell to the bottom of the poll.

Click through to see a full list of the top 10 -- and bottom 10 -- states.

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Comments

[richieh]

12:33 PM on 09/28/2011

Well, this speaks volumes. I just wish the piece had a bit more bite.

[nyscof]

06:39 AM on 09/27/2011

These statistics show that water fluoridation is a farce. Fluoridation is touted as benefiting the poor but it's clear that residents of states with the least ability to afford dental care have the highest tooth loss statistics regardless of how much fluoride officials put into their bodies via the water supply. For example, the state with the worst tooth loss record West Virginia is 92% fluoridated - 38% of those over 65 have no teeth. Tennessee is 94% fluoridated; yet, 31% are toothless.

Conversely, Hawaii has the lowest tooth loss record (10%) and is the least fluoridated state (8%). New Jersey is only 23% fluoridated and only 17% are toothless

Rotten diets make rotten teeth. Lack of dental care makes it worse. No one needs fluoride. People need to force their legislators to stop wasting their poorly-spent tax dollars on water fluoridation, which is harmful to their health as well as their pocketbooks.

[MeinNH]

08:47 AM on 09/26/2011

Unless you show up with a handful of money, you don't get dental care in NH....

[LRESA]

12:32 AM on 09/26/2011

Dental insurance companies need to do better at covering implants. Many people could benefit from implants to replace missing teeth but they're expensive as hell and only the most well-to-do can afford more than one or so.

[jabart83]

05:50 PM on 09/25/2011

Let's hear it for Mississippi!! Last again!!

[CMB1969]

03:39 PM on 09/25/2011

So Arkansas is in the bottom 10? Well, I guess its all a question of whether take advantage of the care that is available--I live there and am quite happy with my dental care. There certainly are plenty of dentists practicing...heaven knows that half the local country club set have gone out and gotten laser whitening done...

[as400az]

12:51 PM on 09/25/2011

Those red state with bad teeth. Oh My. No wonder they are always angry.