Dental News - US smokers have fewer dental check-ups

Dental Tribune International

Wed. 8 February 2012

save

ATLANTA, Ga., USA: Smokers in the USA seem to be seriously neglecting their oral health. According to the results of a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta in 2008, one out of five had never seen a dentist or avoided having his or her teeth checked for at least five years.

In comparison, only one out of ten nonsmokers had never visited a dentist.

The main reason for the high number of avoiders among the smoking group was found to be affordability of dental treatment, which confirms the results of an earlier CDC survey, indicating that people with lower income are more likely to smoke than people with higher income. Many survey respondents stated that they also avoided the dentist because they considered their smoking of little or no importance to their overall oral health status.

In addition, people who smoke stated that they suffered from more dental problems, including bad breath, dry mouth, and difficulties in eating or chewing.

According to research, tobacco is considered an important risk factor for a number of oral diseases like periodontal disease and oral cancer.

To post a reply please login or register

Fewer Americans have dental insurance

NEW YORK CITY, NY, USA/LEIPZIG, Germany: The recession is showing its teeth to dental patients in the United States. Newest data released by the U.S. ...

LightSpun raises US$13 million as dental AI continues to expand

BOSTON, US: Dental artificial intelligence (AI) startup LightSpun has secured US$13 million (€11 million*) in new funding, positioning the company at ...

New risk of dental caries in the US

LEIPZIG, Germany: Rural communities across the US are facing a growing oral health crisis as access to fluoridated water and dental care diminishes. This ...

Children’s dental health imperilled by US fluoride bans

BOSTON, US: Among the countless controversial aspects of Donald Trump’s current tenure as the US president, the commitment by Secretary of Health and ...

US dental implant companies merge

BURLINGTON, Mass. & IRVINE, Calif., USA: After Dentsply's acquisition of Astra Tech Dental last year, another major player is poised to take on the ...

US dentists retiring later

CHICAGO, US: Research from the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute (HPI) shows that young US clinicians are now more likely to practise in ...

US dental hygienist association “strongly opposes” new ADA resolutions

CHICAGO, US: The American Dental Association (ADA) Health Policy Institute has found that declining enrolment in dental hygiene programmes is creating a ...

Osstell Beacon is available in US

WHITE OAK, Md., U.S./GOTHENBURG, Sweden: Osstell, the developer of the proprietary diagnostic technology Osstell ISQ (Implant Stability Quotient), has ...

Trends in the US overdenture market

BURNABY, British Columbia, Canada: The US market for overdentures and implant-supported bridges can be broken down into the product categories of ...

MIS LYNX all-in-one premium dental implant launched in the US

CHARLOTTE, N.C., US: Dentsply Sirona has announced the US market launch of MIS LYNX, a cost-effective dental implant solution designed by MIS Implants ...

Education

Live webinar
Wed. 22 October 2025
1:00 PM EST (New York)