Overall, the prevalence of both partial and total tooth loss in adults 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 adults age 20 to 64 years and for selected population groups.
Number of Teeth Remaining (Table 1)
- Adults age 20 to 64 have an average of 24.92 remaining teeth.
- Older adults, Black adults, current smokers, and those with lower incomes and less education have fewer remaining teeth.
Number of Adults with Total Tooth Loss (Table 2)
- 3.75% of adults 20 to 64 have no remaining teeth
- Older adults, Black and Hispanic adults, current smokers, and those with lower incomes and less education are more likely to have no remaining teeth.
Table 1: Adults, Mean Number of Permanent Teeth Remaining
Mean number of permanent teeth among adults age 20 to 64 years of age, by selected characteristics:
United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004
Characteristic
|
Mean Number of Permanent Teeth |
Age |
|
20 to 34 years |
26.90 |
35 to 49 years |
25.05 |
50 to 64 years |
22.30 |
|
|
Sex |
|
Male |
25.06 |
Female |
24.90 |
|
|
Race and Ethnicity |
|
White, non-Hispanic |
25.23 |
Black, non-Hispanic |
23.68 |
Mexican American |
25.32 |
|
|
Poverty Status (Income compared toFederal Poverty Level) |
|
Less than 100% |
23.52 |
100% to 199% |
23.64 |
Greater than 200% |
25.48 |
|
|
Education |
|
Less than High School |
23.10 |
High School |
24.35 |
More than High School |
25.76 |
|
|
Smoking History |
|
Current Smoker |
23.47 |
Former Smoker |
25.12 |
Never Smoked |
25.67 |
|
|
Overall |
24.98 |
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 loss in adults.
Table 2: Adults, Number with No Remaining Teeth
Mean number of permanent teeth among adults age 20 to 64 years of age, by selected characteristics:
United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004
Characteristic
|
Percentage with no Remaining Teeth |
Age |
|
20 to 34 years |
(not enough data) |
35 to 49 years |
2.63 |
50 to 64 years |
10.13 |
|
|
Sex |
|
Male |
3.79 |
Female |
3.72 |
|
|
Race and Ethnicity |
|
White, non-Hispanic |
3.96 |
Black, non-Hispanic |
4.14 |
Mexican American |
1.51 |
|
|
Poverty Status (Income compared toFederal Poverty Level) |
|
Less than 100% |
9.28 |
100% to 199% |
6.48 |
Greater than 200% |
2.35 |
|
|
Education |
|
Less than High School |
8.07 |
High School |
5.41 |
More than High School |
1.66 |
|
|
Smoking History |
|
Current Smoker |
7.79 |
Former Smoker |
3.57 |
Never Smoked |
1.55 |
|
|
Overall |
3.76 |
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 loss in adults.