New public opinion research released today from the Delta Dental Institute found that U.S. adults were more likely to report that concerns about inflation and rising prices, rather than concerns about COVID-19, prompted them to delay oral health care.
The poll found that 95% of adults agree oral health is essential to overall health. Almost 6 in 10 said they would continue to receive routine, preventive dental care to avoid major health care costs down the line, even if money were tight. But almost half of adults surveyed – including 42% of dental and health care workers – said they delayed or canceled a dental cleaning, citing inflation and rising costs as their primary concern. Adults in lower income brackets were much more likely to delay oral health care than their higher-earning counterparts.
