Many middle-aged adults report dental pain and poor prevention: National Poll on Healthy Aging

794 views · Published 7 September 2017 · 2:12 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: Michigan Medicine · 2017 · Science & Technology

Watch on YouTube

The dental health of middle-aged Americans faces a lot of problems right now, and an uncertain future to come, according to new results from the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.

One in three Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 say they’re embarrassed by the condition of their teeth. A slightly larger percentage say dental problems have caused pain, difficulty with eating, missed work or other health problems in the past two years. Forty percent of those polled don’t get regular cleanings or other preventive care that can help prevent dental problems. 

The poll, based on a nationally representative sample of older adults, was conducted by the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation with support from AARP and Michigan Medicine, U-M’s academic medical center.

Full poll results are available at http://healthyagingpoll.org 

Sign up for regular updates about newly released NPHA findings at http://www.healthyagingpoll.org/form/email-sign

More from this channel