Dental Visit - Women

Dental Visit - Women in United States

United States

Oral health is a vital component of overall health. Oral diseases such as tooth decay, dental caries (cavities), gingivitis and periodontal (gum) disease are common and can contribute to mild to severe health issues if left undiagnosed and untreated. 

Poor oral health can negatively impact quality of life by causing pain and/or tooth loss, affecting one’s ability to chew, speak and interact socially. Further, inflammation associated with periodontal disease has been linked to several chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease and oral cancer. Over 40% of adults reported feeling mouth pain in the past year and 80% of people have had at least one cavity by age 34.

Good oral health is particularly important during pregnancy, as physiological changes may put pregnant women at higher risk of new or exacerbated oral health problems. For example, increased inflammatory response to dental plaque during pregnancy may cause pregnancy gingivitis. Other common oral health conditions that occur during pregnancy include tooth erosion, cavities and periodontal disease.

Routine/preventive dental visits are not covered under many insurance plans and the out-of-pocket costs are often prohibitive. Cost is the top reason cited for not seeking out dental care, followed by lack of insurance. As of 2021, an estimated 6 million Americans had lost their dental insurance due to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic. Routine dental visits also decreased during the pandemic.

The prevalence of annual dental visits is higher among:

• Women ages 18-24 and 35-44 compared with women ages 25-34.
• White, multiracial and Black women compared with Hispanic women.
• Women who have graduated college. The prevalence of annual dental visits increases with each increase in education level.
• Women with an annual household income of $75,000 or more. The prevalence of annual dental visits increases with each increase in income level.
• Women living in metropolitan areas compared with those in non-metropolitan areas.

Oral diseases are preventable through routine dental visits and proper oral hygiene. Several strategies to improve access to oral health can be found in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Oral Health Strategic Framework 2014-2017, including increasing the number of health care settings that provide oral health care.

Additionally, oral health counseling throughout pregnancy can help prevent pregnancy-related oral health disease and encourage healthy oral hygiene habits during and beyond pregnancy. 

Resources to find affordable dental care include:

• The Health Resources & Services Administration. This organization supports a network of "safety net" clinics (including dental clinics) for people who qualify for reduced-cost care.
• State and local dental organizations, which may have more information about free or reduced-cost local services and programs.
• The 211 helpline, which is accessible online and by phone 24/7 and provides information on and assistance with meeting basic needs, including medical and dental care.

Increasing the proportion of adults who have used the oral health care system within the past year is a Healthy People 2030 leading health indicator. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services list five goals in the Oral Health Strategic Framework: integrate oral health and primary health care; prevent disease and promote oral health; increase access to oral health care and eliminate disparities; increase the dissemination of oral health information and improve health literacy and advance oral health in public policy and research.

“ACOG Committee Opinion No. 569: Oral Health Care During Pregnancy and Through the Lifespan.” 2013. Obstetrics & Gynecology, no. 122 (August): 417–22.

Griffin, Susan O., Judith A. Jones, Diane Brunson, Paul M. Griffin, and William D. Bailey. 2012. “Burden of Oral Disease Among Older Adults and Implications for Public Health Priorities.” American Journal of Public Health 102 (3): 411–18. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300362.

Heaton, Lisa J., Adrianna C. Sonnek, Kelly Schroeder, and Eric P. Tranby. 2022. “Americans Are Still Not Getting the Dental Care They Need.” Research Report. The State of Oral Health Equity in America 2022. Boston, MA: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. https://doi.org/10.35565/CQI.2022.2020.

Institute of Medicine, Committee on Oral Health Access to Services, and National Research Council, eds. 2011. Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13116.

Tranby, Eric P., Matt Jacob, Abigail Kelly, and Julie Frantsve-Hawley. 2021. “A Coming Surge in Oral Health Treatment Needs — Pandemic-Related Events Appear Poised to Create a Spike in Oral Disease among Adults.” State of Oral Health Equity in America 2021 Research Report 1. Boston, MA: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. https://doi.org/10.35565/CQI.2021.2028.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2000. “Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General.” Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2017-10/hck1ocv.%40www.surgeon.fullrpt.pdf.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Oral Health Coordinating Committee, Margo R. Adesanya, William Bailey, Donald C. Belcher, Marco Beltran, Tracy Branch, Marcia K. Brand, et al. 2016. “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Oral Health Strategic Framework, 2014–2017.” Public Health Reports 131 (2): 242–57. https://doi.org/10.1177/003335491613100208.