About 90% of U.S. adults between ages 20 and 64 have some degree of tooth decay, according to health officials. Nearly half of adults ages 45 to 64 have gum disease. Despite those numbers, oral health among American adults has shown little improvement over the past two decades.
Dr. Steven Katz, president of the American Association of Endodontists, says many patients don’t realize how closely oral health ties to overall health—affecting everything from heart disease risk to cognitive function later in life.
“If you have healthy teeth, you can improve your cardiovascular health, you can reduce your risk of diabetes, and you can improve your cognitive function as you age,” Katz said.
So why do so many people put off care? Cost is one factor—roughly one in four working-age adults lack dental insurance. Fear is another. About one in five adults report moderate to high dental anxiety, and root canals in particular carry a reputation for being painful.
Katz says that reputation is outdated. Advances in technology, techniques, and local anesthesia have made the procedure faster and essentially pain-free.
“The fact that people say that root canals are painful is really a myth,” he said.
