Baby Boomer Oral Health Goes Bust

There is good news and bad news for the baby boomer generation when it comes to the state of their oral health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, baby boomers are the first generation where the majority will maintain their natural teeth over their entire lifetime, mainly thanks to fluoride toothpastes and water fluoridation.

The CDC reports that, in the past 10 years, the number of adults missing all their natural teeth has declined from 31 percent to 25 percent for those age 60 and older, and from 9 percent to 5 percent for those between the ages of 40 and 59.

That’s the good news.

Now for the bad: While those numbers seem great, that 5 percent means that 1 out of every 20 middle-aged adults is missing all of their teeth!

Other bad news:

• Over 40 percent of financially strapped adults (over the age of 20) have at least one untreated decayed tooth compared to 16 percent of adults who are better off financially.
• Most adults show signs of gum disease, with severe gum disease affecting about 14 percent of adults ages 45 to 54.
• Almost 1 of every 4 adults surveyed reported some form of facial pain, with toothaches being the most common complaint.

Millions of Americans have compromised oral health and employed adults lose over 164 million hours of work annually because of oral health problems or dental visits.

Where does Smile Texas come in? First, we can help you with your dental problems, from gum disease to tooth decay; second, we can give you a smile makeover that will correct any issues you have – this includes bite problems, broken or stained teeth, gaps, missing teeth, and more; and third, we can do all of these corrections sometimes in as few as two visits to our office.

Baby boomer or not, your oral health is an important element of your overall health, and a beautiful smile is important for your overall happiness and self-esteem. Contact us for a consultation to find out how we can add more life to your years.