According to studies, residents of areas in the northeastern US most commonly make annual dental appointments, while about 10% less adults (60% total) in the south visit the dentist each year. Oakwood Dental Arts, with an office in Freehold, N.J., welcomes a Gallup finding that among New Jersey residents, 70.5 percent of those polled had dental visits in 2013. The study also found other factors, such as age or income, which indicate the likelihood of certain demographics to visit or skip a trip to the dentist.
People who go to the dentist at least once a year have considerably higher well-being than those who don’t, Gallup also reported. Those who maintain good oral health rate their lives more highly, are more likely to exercise and eat well each day, are less stressed in their daily lives, are less likely to be obese, and smoke less than people who don’t get to the dentist regularly.
However, they also said that although most employers offer optional benefits that cover dental visits, few actively encourage their employees to choose this coverage or to visit a dentist on their own. In the case of additional out-of-pocket costs for employees, some might simply see dental insurance as an unnecessary expense. By emphasizing oral health in the workplace and offering extra incentives for visiting a dentist, employers could gain significant return from the benefits of employees having a healthy set of teeth, including reduced absenteeism due to tooth troubles or overall medical issues that result from poor oral health.
It so happens that nationwide, about one in three U.S. adults did not visit the dentist at some point in the past 12 months, meaning that they didn’t meet what is considered a minimum level of dental care. If you are one of those individuals and the reason is due to a lack of insurance, there are other ways to receive affordable care such as a dental discount plan, which you can learn about from your dentist in the Freehold NJ Oakwood Dental Arts office. If the reason is a lack of understanding of the potential health consequences of skipping exams and cleanings, read some of our blogs and you will quickly see why you should schedule an appointment to see us soon!