Tooth Loss Statistics
Oral hygiene practices and professional dental care services help people maintain a smile that is strong, functional, and attractive. But even with the most stringent care, minor oral health problems can arise.
When dental problems are treated in a timely manner, they should not impact the teeth too significantly. Unfortunately, it is common for individuals to avoid restorative dentistry treatment to repair dental damage. Busy schedules, dental anxiety, and financial strains are just some of the things that may prevent someone from getting the restorative dental care they need.
Oral health issues that are left untreated will just continue to progress. Eventually, serious dental problems can result in tooth loss. Here, Dr. Tim Simpson presents some tooth loss statistics to show our Abilene, TX patients how common tooth loss is among adults in the United States.
Do I Really Have to Worry about Tooth Loss?
According to data collected in a recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, tooth loss is actually quite common.
By adulthood, patients should have 32 permanent teeth. This includes four wisdom teeth. Since it is normal to have the wisdom teeth removed, the average adult should have at least 28 permanent teeth.
Instead, statistics show that the average number of teeth for adults aged 20 to 34 is closer to 27. Further, just under half of survey participants aged 20 to 64 had their entire set of permanent teeth.
The tooth loss statistics gathered in this national health survey show that tooth loss should be a concern for all adults, even those as young as 20 years of age.
Age and Tooth Loss
As with many other health-related issues, survey results show that age has an impact on tooth loss. The older people get, the more likely they are to experience some degree of tooth loss. Whereas the average number of remaining adult teeth was around 27 for individuals aged 20 to 34, it dropped to 25 for those aged 35 to 49, and 22 for individuals aged 50 to 64.
Total tooth loss is another problem that is much more likely to impact older adults. Just under three percent of adults aged 35 to 49 had no remaining natural teeth. When looking at data from the next group, aged 50 to 64, the number of individuals who had complete tooth loss jumped to 10 percent.
Treating Tooth Loss
Tooth loss impacts not only the appearance of the smile, but also the strength of the bite and the structure of the jaw. Fortunately, when tooth loss does occur, there are restorative dentistry treatments that can rebuild the smile.
Dr. Simpson can teach patients more about tooth loss treatments such as dental crowns, dental bridges, dentures, and dental implants so that they can choose the technique that best meets their unique needs.
Contact Us
If you have experienced tooth loss, you are not alone. Dr. Tim Simpson has helped many patients rebuild their smile, and he can do the same for you. To learn more about our restorative dentistry services, contact us online at your earliest convenience or call our dental office at (325) 677-6553.
