More than 1 in 5 US adults suffer from untreated caries
A new report published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) has found that more than one in five US adults are living with untreated caries, highlighting serious oral health disparities across the nation.
The study, based on data from the 2017–2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), analyzed a weighted sample representative of 193.5 million adults. The overall prevalence of untreated caries was found to be 21.3%, with both coronal caries (17.9%) and root caries (10.1%) affecting a significant portion of the adult population.
Vulnerable groups most at risk
The report emphasized that untreated caries disproportionately affects individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and marginalized communities. Higher prevalence was observed among:
- Adults with a family income at or below the poverty threshold
- Men compared to women
- Adults aged 30–39 and 40–49
- Non-Hispanic Black and “other” racial or ethnic groups
- Those without health insurance
- Individuals with less than a high school education
- Adults who were underweight or obese
According to the author, Dr. Nasir Zeeshan Bashir, B.D.S., a research fellow at the University of Bristol:
"There is a substantial unmet health care need in the US adult population for the prevention and management of untreated caries, and public health efforts should aim particularly to address disease within those subgroups who are at a disproportionately high risk.”
Public health implications
Experts stress that untreated caries is not only a marker of poor oral health but also a driver of systemic health problems, affecting quality of life, nutrition, and overall well-being. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted public health strategies, improved access to preventive dental care, and policy measures addressing socioeconomic determinants of health.
Other recent JADA research has also explored topics such as aerosol reduction in dental practices, the impact of tobacco smoke exposure on children’s oral health, and patterns of outpatient dental visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, these studies underscore the ongoing need for evidence-based approaches to improve population oral health.
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