2% of People Don't Brush Their Teeth & Other Crazy Dental Statistics (2024)

By Staff | December 9, 2019

The American Dental Association has a defined oral care regimen they’ve laid out for people to follow. Most of us grew up with our parents and dentists beating elements of this routine into our head, though undoubtedly we’ve all fallen short of this ideal.

• Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for at least two minutes, especially first thing in the morning and before bedtime.
• Floss every day – usually at bedtime.
• Limit the number of times you eat sugary snacks each day.
• Visit your dentist every 6 months for an oral exam and professional cleaning.

So how well do people keep up with the ADA’s recommended routine? See for yourself.

How often do we brush our teeth?

According to a study by Delta Dental, 31% of Americans fail to brush their teeth at least twice a day, with two percent admitting to not brushing at all. Even those of us that do brush have a tendency to go far too long between brushing. Their study also found that many people have gone days without brushing their teeth.

What happens if you don’t brush your teeth?

For people who think they can get by without brushing their teeth, there’s some bad news. The reason the ADA recommends that we brush our teeth regularly is because the consequences of not brushing can be quite severe. Here’s a quick rundown of what can happen when you stop brushing your teeth.

• Stained teeth. This is especially true if you drink coffee, wine, or smoke cigarettes.
• Tooth decay. If you don’t brush your teeth you get plaque which breaks down your tooth enamel. This will cause bad breath and eventually can cause major problems and require things like crowns and root canals.
• Gum disease. Also known as periodontal disease, this occurs when the bacteria in plaque cause swollen and bleeding gums.
• Long term health problems. Periodontal disease is a likely outcome of not brushing one’s teeth, and periodontal disease has been associated with higher risks of kidney disease, dementia, and certain types of cancers.

How often do people floss?

As a society, we clearly have some work to do when it comes to keeping up with brushing our teeth, but as it turns out we also have a lot of room to improve when it comes to flossing as only 41% of people say they floss at least once per day. Though, it appears this is a bigger problem with men than it is in women, as one study showed that in adults over the age of 30 that women are 11 percent more likely than men to floss on a daily basis.

How well do people avoid sugary snacks?

If you have a sweet tooth you’re also more likely to have tooth decay. A2016 studyon sugar consumption found that Americans are nearly doubling the recommended limit of 50 grams of sugar per day. This guideline was based around the concept of 10 percent of calories coming from sugar as part of a 2,000 calorie diet. While this seems bad, it’s actually an improvement from where we were. The previous high from 1999 when the average consumption reached a whopping 111 grams of sugar per day.

How often do we see the dentist?

The ADA recommends that people see the dentist every six months or an average of twice annually. As it turns out, nearly a quarter of the population has gone more than five years without seeing a dentist. Only 28% of people have never gone more than one year without visiting a dentist.

When should a child first see the dentist?

This is a common dental question for parents, and unfortunately, many parents don’t realize just how soon a child should see the dentist. The ADA recommends that a child should see the dentist within six months of their first tooth appearing, or by their first birthday. Unfortunately, 40% of children under three have never been to the dentist. On top of the oral health issues that this can cause, it also misses an important opportunity to get a child acclimated to dental visits. Fear of the dentist is a real problem for some people, so making sure they begin their lives with good oral health and a level of comfort at the dentist is extremely important.

Why don’t people go to the dentist?

While many people have the ability to go to the dentist and choose not to, there are socioeconomic factors that seem to impact people’s ability, or willingness, to see a dentist. One big factor seems to be dental insurance. 79% of people who have dental insurance see the dentist at least once annually while only 52% of people without dental coverage will see a dentist within a year.

Income, age, and cavities

Another alarming number is the number of people who have untreated cavities. Numbers from the CDC from 2013-2016 show an alarming number of people, particularly those in poverty and with lower incomes, who have untreated cavities. The number becomes wildly out of balance as people age, with the 20 and over age groups showing three and four times the instances of untreated cavities than people in the highest income levels.

Percentage of people with untreated cavities

Know of any other scary dental statistics?

If you come across any other scary dental statistics that you think should be added to our list, please drop us a line and let us know!