Overall, the prevalence of both partial and total tooth loss in seniors has decreased from the early 1970s until the latest (1999-2004) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In spite of this improvement, significant disparities remain in some population groups.
Tables 1 and 2 present information about tooth loss for seniors age 65 and over and for selected population groups.
Number of Teeth Remaining (Table 1)
- Seniors over age 65 have an average of 18.90 remaining teeth.
- Black seniors, current smokers, and those with lower incomes and less education have fewer remaining teeth.
Number of Adults with Total Tooth Loss (Table 2)
- 27.27% of seniors over age 65 have no remaining teeth
- Older seniors, women, Black seniors, current smokers, and those with lower incomes and less education are more likely to have no remaining teeth.
Table 1: Seniors, Mean Number of Permanent Teeth Remaining
Mean number of permanent teeth among seniors over 65 years of age, by selected characteristics:
United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004
|
Characteristic
|
Mean Number of Permanent Teeth |
|
Age |
|
|
65 to 74 years |
19.34 |
|
75 years or more |
18.36 |
| |
|
|
Sex |
|
|
Male |
19.03 |
|
Female |
18.77 |
| |
|
|
Race and Ethnicity |
|
|
White, non-Hispanic |
19.39 |
|
Black, non-Hispanic |
15.19 |
|
Mexican American |
18.15 |
| |
|
|
Poverty Status (Income compared toFederal Poverty Level) |
|
|
Less than 100% |
15.58 |
|
100% to 199% |
16.99 |
|
Greater than 200% |
20.08 |
| |
|
|
Education |
|
|
Less than High School |
15.86 |
|
High School |
18.10 |
|
More than High School |
20.96 |
| |
|
|
Smoking History |
|
|
Current Smoker |
15.39 |
|
Former Smoker |
18.16 |
|
Never Smoked |
19.91 |
| |
|
|
Overall |
18.90 |
Data Source: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has been an important source of information on oral health and dental care in the United States since the early 1970s. Tables 1 through 4 present the latest NHANES (collected between 1999 and 2004) data regarding tooth decay (dental caries) in children.
Table 2: Seniors, Number with No Remaining Teeth
Mean number of permanent teeth among seniors over 65 years of age, by selected characteristics:
United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004
|
Characteristic
|
Percentage with no Remaining Teeth |
|
Age |
|
|
65 to 74 years |
23.93 |
|
75 years or more |
31.30 |
| |
|
|
Sex |
|
|
Male |
24.42 |
|
Female |
29.30 |
| |
|
|
Race and Ethnicity |
|
|
White, non-Hispanic |
26.12 |
|
Black, non-Hispanic |
32.81 |
|
Mexican American |
23.90 |
| |
|
|
Poverty Status (Income compared toFederal Poverty Level) |
|
|
Less than 100% |
44.19 |
|
100% to 199% |
36.61 |
|
Greater than 200% |
17.25 |
| |
|
|
Education |
|
|
Less than High School |
43.32 |
|
High School |
28.28 |
|
More than High School |
13.65 |
| |
|
|
Smoking History |
|
|
Current Smoker |
49.69 |
|
Former Smoker |
28.69 |
|
Never Smoked |
21.72 |
| |
|
|
Overall |
27.27 |
Data Source: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has been an important source of information on oral health and dental care in the United States since the early 1970s. Tables 1 through 4 present the latest NHANES (collected between 1999 and 2004) data regarding tooth decay (dental caries) in children.