Insurance coverage influences frequency of dental visits by older adults

Dental health is a growing concern as the U.S. population ages.

“Oral health is associated with overall health, especially in older adults aged 65 and older,” according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics. “Chronic conditions in older adults may affect oral health, and poor oral health may increase the risk of certain chronic conditions. Poor oral health has also been associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk.”

Several factors — including chronic conditions, health status, race and income — are associated with reduced dental care use among older adults. Researchers used data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey to analyze dental visits during the previous 12 months.

Nearly two-thirds of adults 65 and older had a dental visit during the period studied, with women (65%) more likely than men (62.3%) to have done so. The percentage of older adults who had a dental visit decreased from 65.4% among those aged 65 to 74 to 53.3% among those age 85 and older.

The prevalence of visits also varied by race and ethnicity:

• White, 68%
• Black, 53.4%
• Asian, 52%
• Multiple-race, 49%
• Hispanic, 48%

Family income also was a determining factor. The percentage of dental visits generally increased along with income, ranging from 35.3% of older adults with incomes less than 100% of the federal poverty level to 80.5% of those with incomes greater than 400% of the poverty level. Only one-third of adults with less than a high school diploma visited a dentist, compared with 82% of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher.

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Overall health was another contributing factor. Adults in fair or poor health and those with diabetes or heart disease were less likely to have had a dental visit compared to those without these conditions:

• Adults 65 and older with fair or poor health (44.5%) were less likely than those in excellent, very good or good health (69.5%) to have had a dental visit in the past 12 months.
• Older adults with diabetes (55%) were less likely than those without diabetes (66%) to have had a dental visit.

Finally, older adults with dental insurance also were more likely to have had a dental visit during the previous year. Seventy percent of insured adults reported having a visit, compared to 56.4 of those without coverage.