Oral Health And Well-Being In The United States

It’s good to know as much as possible about oral health in general, from dental products you can use to common dental ailments and those who help take care of your teeth. 

General Facts About Oral Health

Knowing some dental facts isn’t just for fun, but can also help with your dental wellbeing? Well, if you think you know everything about your teeth and oral health, get ready to see more and subsequently improve your dental wellbeing. 

The total average time an individual spends brushing is one minute and 52 seconds. Short right? But did you know that dentists recommend brushing for about two to three minutes for an excellent oral clean up? Did you know that a higher than average percentage of Americans, about 60 percent, brush their teeth first thing in the morning and at bedtime? It’s no wonder it has become a form of tradition in most households. 

Bad breath is one of every American’s oral nightmares, and surprisingly 30 percent of people in the United States worry that they do have bad breath (halitosis). Bad oral health has significant adverse effects on your life in general, from socializing to even self-esteem. This is a fact that 87 percent of the population agrees with.

The most common oral disease is tooth decay, which is followed by gum diseases. Gum diseases can also affect your general wellbeing as stroke and other heart diseases have been linked to it. It is advisable to change your toothbrush every four to six weeks to prevent bacterial build-up in the bristles. 

Twenty-six percent of American adults suffer from untreated tooth decay. The most common cause of tooth decay is sugary foods and substances as they mix with the bacteria in the tooth to produce acids. Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in the world.  

8 Fun Facts About Dental Health

1. The total amount of time an average person spends brushing in a lifetime is 38.5 days.

2. The first toothbrush with bristles was made in China around 1498

3. Commercial dental floss became a thing in 1882 when it was first produced.

4. Chewing sugar-free gum after a meal for 20 minutes can help prevent tooth decay.

5. Using fingernails to clean in-between your teeth is not just your thing, as 61 percent of Americans admit to doing it.

6. The hardest structure of the human body is the tooth enamel.

7. On average, a human being produces 100,000 gallons of saliva in a lifetime.

8. Teeth start to form before a person is born.

7 Facts About Dental Products And Supplies 

1. What is your toothpaste preference? Well, about 66.11 million Americans in 2019 alone prefer using gel toothpaste while regular toothpaste users totalled 137.59 million.

2. Manual or power toothbrush? If you like it manual, then you are a part of the 209.54 million Americans that use a manual toothbrush. And if you fancy brushing without stress, then you are a part of the 4.5 million Americans using power toothbrushes.

3. Through the course of 2018, the amount in sales made by the leading tooth whitening brand, Crest 3D White Whitestrips, was $79.4 million - an overall profit that corroborates with the 32.29 million Americans that have used teeth whitener in 2019.

4. On average, an American spends about $250 or more annually on dental products.

5. Flossing has 13.58 million Americans using all kinds of branded flossing products, with a total amount of $30.07 million spent on branded dental floss products in 2019.

6. America has 201.8 million mouthwash users.

7. Some medications can affect your oral health, particularly those with sugary substances like cough syrup, antacids, and so on.

All You Need To Know About Your Dental Hygienists, Dentists And Access To Dental Care

As of 2019 there are 200,419 dentists in the United States, with 33.4% being female.

Dental hygienists spend a total of 2,000 hours studying in an accredited dental hygiene program.

Washington D.C is the one area where dentists thrive well as it has the most dentists in the United States with at least 103 dentists to a total number of 100,000 residents state-wide.

Becoming a dentist is no joke as, on average, a dentist spends between 10 to 14 years to become a certified dentist - four years for an undergraduate degree, four years of dental school, and two to six years for training and residency.

Some of the factors that prevent people from visiting dentists and having access to dental care are cost (42.2 percent), lack of time (14.1 percent), and 32.7 percent actually think they don’t need to visit dentists at all. 

With the help of some authority sources like the CDC, the American Dental Association, and the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, among other sources, we can ascertain that all the dental facts and oral health statistics provided above are well verified and accurate. 

Conclusion

Oral health knowledge, in general, is as broad and extensive as you can imagine. From flossing statistics to toothbrush types, there is a lot to take in when it comes to oral care and dental wellbeing of Americans. Seeing weird facts about people’s oral habits, including yours, can be an eye-opener on the importance of oral health.

The good thing is that there is so much more to learn and aside the facts above, you can still do your research to have a better knowledge about your dental health and how to care for it.

Looking for a 100% all-natural liquid tooth oil and mouth rinse? Check out OraMD Original Strength and OraMD Extra Strength. Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral health and skincare. If you are looking for more health resources check out the Trusted Health Resources list. 

 Written By:

Lidia Hovhan is the content manager at theteethblog.com. She is also a SEO specialist, so she helps dentists dominate their markets and grow their businesses significantly year after year. Her fields of interest include digital and general dentistry, general oral health and care.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.