Nearly half of Americans are delaying oral healthcare due to inflation: 5 things to know

Inflation is not only affecting Americans' wallets, but their oral health as well.

The Delta Dental Institute commissioned communications company FGS Global to conduct a survey on Americans' relationship to oral health, which was released Dec. 7. The survey was administered in October and included 1,321 adults.

The survey found that respondents wanted to prioritize oral health, but nearly half have delayed care due to inflation and rising costs.

Five things to know:

1. Regardless of income, inflation and rising prices are the top reasons for delaying care for all adults.

2. Nearly two-thirds of adults older than 65 would be more likely to routinely visit the dentist if Medicare covered dental care.

3. Nearly 6 in 10 adults would continue receiving routine dental care to avoid major healthcare costs down the line, regardless of financial standing.

4. Nearly half of adults — including 42 percent of dental and healthcare workers — delayed or canceled a dental cleaning in the past two years.

5. Seventy-six percent of adults want Medicaid to require states to include dental care.

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