Middle-Aged Adults Report Dental Pain, Embarrassment
The dental health of middle-aged Americans faces many problems right now and an uncertain future to come.
A sample poll through the University of Michigan questioned 1,066 adults aged 50-64 regarding their dental health and ease of dental care. An astounding one in three adults say they are embarrassed by the condition of their teeth and a slightly larger percentage say dental problems have caused pain, difficulty with eating, missed work or other health problems.
Out of those polled forty percent admit they do not get regular cleanings. The lack of insurance appears to play a factor in the decline of preventative dental care, however, a staggering 56 percent say they only seek care for serious dental problems.
As for the future, more than half say they simply do not know how they will get dental coverage after they turn 65 and another 13 percent expect to count on Medicare or Medicaid to cover their oral care needs.
These findings highlight a stark divide among middle-aged Americans in terms of their oral health now and a real uncertainty about how they will get and pay for care as they age.
With more than three-quarters of the people polled agreeing that regular care is important to prevent problems later, this highlights the opportunities to improve access to care and insurance options after age 65.
Read more about the poll here.
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