The Reality of Dental Diligence

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Everyone likes to check out statistics. And since people who are usually stats freaks — baseball fans — have been deprived of much of their livelihood this bizarre spring and early summer (including no spring training in Florida!), at least we can check out some statistics on dental health.

Don’t smirk. Dr. Brown loves these statistics more than Ted Musial’s career batting average or on-base percentage.

Toothy Statistics

OK, who’s been on the naught/nice list and not seen Dr. Brown or another dentist within a year?

• Percentage of children aged 2-17 years with a dental visit in the past year: 84.9% (2017)
• Percentage of adults aged 18-64 with a dental visit in the past year: 64% (2017)
• Percentage of adults aged 65 and over with a dental visit in the past year: 65.6% (2017)

Seeing your dentist every six months is key to a happy mouth full of healthy teeth. Skipping just one of these appointments is basically just asking for future big-time trouble with your teeth. Fun things like root canals, bridges, extractions, and gum disease

Who has a cavity that they’re not having removed and a filling placed?

• Percent of children aged 5-19 with untreated dental caries (decay): 16.9% (2013-2016)
• Percent of adults aged 20-44 with untreated dental caries (decay): 31.6% (2013-2016)

OK. This stat’s not funny. Untreated tooth decay leads to the bacteria eventually make its way into the inner tooth and causing an infection in the tooth. Now the tooth is going to need a root canal just to save it from extraction. Or, if left alone, the person is headed toward full-on gum disease and a lift of dentures. Leaving a cavity in a child’s tooth is putting them behind the curve on a lifetime of less-than-stellar dental health, and that’s not cool for a parent.

What percentage of adults have all their teeth or none of their teeth?

• Percentage of adults aged 20-64 who have all of their permanent teeth: 48% (2011-2012)
• Percentage of adults aged 65 and over who have none of their teeth: 19% (2011-2012)

Do you floss? Tell the truth.

• Percentage of people who floss daily: 30% (2016)
• Percentage of people who floss less than daily: 37 percent (2016)
• Percentage of people who never floss: 32% (2016)

Come on, people. Flossing isn’t difficult. It isn’t painful. It takes about 20 seconds. Dental floss can be minty fresh, should you choose. Floss isn’t an exercise in “whatever.” Flossing is very important to break up and remove the bacteria that are hanging out between your teeth and aren’t adequately removed by tooth brushing. You up your odds of decay taking hold in a tooth when you don’t floss, so at Implant Dentistry of Florida we’re hoping our prized patients aren’t in that 69% who only floss sometimes or not at all.

Is it time for your next cleaning and exam with us? Call (321) 372-7700 to make your appointment.

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