15 November 2022

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Adults, children make oral care a priority: Delta Dental survey

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Delta Dental recently shared encouraging findings from its 2022 survey showing U.S. adults and parents are practicing diligent oral care at home. 

The good news also extends to the dentist, as more adults and children made oral health preventive visits in 2022 than the year prior, according to a news release. Key findings from the 2022 study include:

• Following best practices U.S. adults follow recommended oral health guidelines at home – brushing their teeth twice a day, and flossing and using mouthwash once a day, on average. More than half or 55% of adults follow American Dental Association guidelines on how often to replace toothbrushes, while a vast majority or 93% of parents do the same for their children. 
  
  
• Going beyond the toothbrush 49% of adults use fluoride products, and 79% of parents believe fluoride is very, if not extremely, important to their child’s oral health and prevents cavities. To improve their oral health and smiles, 20% of adults use whitening products, 15% use a tongue scraper, and 10% use either a mouthguard or night guard. 
  
  
• Always room for improvement 65% of moms and dads find it difficult to get their child to brush their teeth; 25% of parents report that their child does not like the taste of toothpaste. Dr. Joseph Dill, DDS and chief dental officer of Delta Dental Plans Association said he was encouraged to see how adults and children across the country are committed to good oral health care.

Learn more about consumer opinions and behaviors related to oral health in the Delta Dental State of America's Oral Health and Wellness Report.  

About the survey

The 2022 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report is based upon Delta Dental-commissioned research conducted between Jan. 19 to 28, 2022, by Material Holdings, LLC, a global insights and strategy consultancy. The research used an email invitation and online surveys to two audiences recruited through an opt-in panel of 1,172 parents of children ages 12 and younger and 1,027 nationally representative Americans ages 18+. Quotas were set to ensure a reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. population of adults and parents with children ages 12 and younger. The report has a margin of error of +/- 3%. 

About Delta Dental Plans Association

Based in Oak Brook, Illinois, Delta Dental Plans Association is the not-for-profit national association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these companies, Delta Dental is the nation's largest dental insurance provider, covering more than 85 million Americans and offering the country's largest dental network with approximately 154,000 participating dentists. Over the last decade, Delta Dental companies provided over $1.88 billion in direct and in-kind support to improve the oral health of our communities. Visit deltadental.com for information on individual dental insurance plans and group dental insurance plans.