Only half of Gen Z and Millennials say they will go to the dentist if they have pain in their mouth.
SAN ANTONIO — Many of us understand how important it is to protect our teeth. Knowing how to protect them is one thing, doing something about it is another.
A survey by The American Association of Endodontists found more than two in five adults will only go to the dentist if they are experiencing pain in their mouth. That means many people don’t take all of the necessary steps to keep their oral health in tip top shape. Dr. Steven Katz, the President of the American Association of Endodontists, “But the disconnect here is that almost 90% of the patients that we surveyed recognize the importance of saving their natural teeth, and how important that is for their overall health.”
Being proactive is key in preventing larger problems like a root canal, a cavity, or losing a tooth completely. Dr. Katz added, “People need to get into a routine. They need to be consistent about their brushing. They need to be consistent about flossing.”
According to the CDC about two out of every three adults in the U.S. visit the dentist every year. The National Institutes of Health report one out of every three people suffer from dental anxiety. And that about seven out of every ten people say their quality of life is affected by their oral health.
The Prime Dental Group says people avoid the dentist out of fear or anxiety, lack of time, embarassment over their oral health, lack of money, or they simply forgot. Pain is another big reason people dig dropping their dental practitioner. Dr. Katz said, “I think that patients are irrationally afraid of it. I think in the past there were a lot of negative connotations associated with going to the dentist. Patients thought it was painful, but the reality is nowadays we have new techniques, new technology, we have better local anesthetics, and it allows us to perform treatment almost pain-free.”
The survey also looked at millennials and Gen Z and found only half will only go to the dentist if they are experiencing pain in their mouth.