Top Takeaways from 2020 State of America’s Oral Health Report
Delta Dental’s annual report captures data from consumers' behaviors throughout 2020 and provides new insights into the greater public awareness of the connections between oral health and overall health.
During a year where the globe was dealing with a major public health crisis, health care has had a more prominent role in public discourse. But beyond the discussions around infection control measures or vaccination timelines, there was one unexpected benefit from the conversation: more and more Americans viewed oral health as a key part of their overall health, according to Delta Dental’s 2020 State of America’s Oral Health Report.
Delta Dental’s annual report captures data from consumers' behaviors throughout 2020 and provides new insights into the greater public awareness of the connections between oral health and overall health. Here are three of the top takeaways from this year’s report:
Oral Health is Critically Important to Overall Health
Oral health industry leaders are constantly telling the public about the importance of oral health. This year’s State of America’s Oral Health report shows that the message is coming through to patients too. According to the report, 93% of adults consider oral health to be very — if not extremely — important to overall health. More and more people are recognizing that keeping up with your oral health habits is important to keeping up with overall health.
However, the report shows that they’re not quite grasping the extent of which it can affect other parts of your body:
- • 57% of consumers agree with oral health's connection to respiratory health
- • 52% of consumers agree with oral health's connection to diabetes
- • 51% of consumers agree with oral health's connection to high blood pressure
- • 50% of consumers agree with oral health's connection to strokes
- • 39% of consumers agree with oral health's connection to dementia
Our work in getting the message of oral health’s connection to overall health isn’t done. We have to continue to remind patients that oral health is a vital part of the body. That’s why we’re also happy to see that 93% of adults plan to make a dentist visit in 2021. Getting people into the dental chair will ensure that their overall health is taken care of, too.
Patients Are Practicing Oral Health Habits at Home
The pandemic forced everyone to adjust to a life at home. While oral health habits were already a part of everyone’s everyday routine, adults, and parents especially, became more aware of healthy and positive habits:
- • 94% of parents believe that throughout the pandemic, maintaining their child's/their oral health is essential to protecting their child’s/their overall health
- • 82% of parents and 72% of adults are paying closer attention to their child’s/their oral care habits due to COVID–19
- • About 4 in 5 (83%) moms and dads believe fluoride is very — if not extremely — important to their child’s oral health.
As the pandemic fades, it will be important to remind patients to maintain their good habits.
Patients Believe Dental Coverage is Worth the Cost
According to the report, 9 in 10 adults with dental insurance indicate that having coverage is well worth the cost. This is especially important when considering that more Americans are prioritizing preventative dental care as well.
- • Nearly all adults with insurance believe having coverage allows them to have good oral health (96%) and encourages better oral health habits (93%).
- • Eight in 10 (83%) parents and 7 in 10 (71%) adults appreciate their dental insurance even more amid COVID-19 than they previously had.
This report shows that more and more Americans are taking account of all the ways dental health is impacting their lives, and after a long year of complex health care needs, we’re ready to continue to work toward a system that prioritizes oral health as a critical component of overall health.
Click here to read Delta Dental’s full The State of America’s Oral Health Report.