Infrequent Oral Exams: 1 in 3 Adults Haven't Been to the Dentist in a Year

According to a Gallup well-being poll, 1 in 3 adults in the United States (33.3%) did not visit the dentist in the past 12 months. The number actually improved one percent since 2008, but dentists worry about how high it still is.

Over 500,000 adults were a part of the study, with 178,072 new interviews. The other 354,645 respondents were already a part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, and they were simply asked whether or not they visited the dentist in the last 12 months. They found that Blacks, Hispanics, and Young Adults were the least likely to visit the dentist.

44.8% of Hispanics and 45% of Blacks did not attend an appointment in the past year. As a whole, 38.6% of young adults in the U.S. aged 18 - 29 also did not. These numbers are compared with 30.4% of Asians, 31.6% of Whites, and 33.3% of adults aged 45 - 64. The numbers were also determinant upon income, with 82.3% of those making over $120,000 a year visiting their dentist compared to only 45.4% of those with an income between $12,000 and $24,000.

Those most likely to visit the dentist annually resided in the Eastern U.S. (68.9%), were married (70.9%), and were women (67.2%). Between 2008 and 2013, those aged 18 - 29, 30 - 44, and 45 - 64 all reported decreases in their dental visits, ranging from 0.5% to 3.5%. The only groups to report significant percentage increases were those aged 65 and older (4.3%) and Hispanics (1.5%).

Dentists recommend that everyone get their mouth checked and cleaned at least once a year to prevent oral diseases, which could also lead to other health problems including gingivitis and cavities, among other serious issues such as heart disease and stroke. The number of attendees could change within the next several years because the Congressional Budget Office projects that 17 million adults could obtain dental coverage thanks to Obamacare.