Arkansas has the worst dental care, with only approximately 41% of adults visiting the dentist in 2020, according to research recently conducted by orthodontists at Celebrate Dental and Braces, which has practices in the West and Midwest.
Meanwhile, Connecticut was ranked the best, according to the data.
"Although the dentist can seem daunting and is a great fear for some, regular checks can help prevent or treat issues that could get progressively worse if left alone," Dr. Kelcey Loveland from Celebrate Dental said in a press release.
To identify areas with disparities, the research team analyzed eight metrics, including dentist visits, smoking rates, and binge drinking, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Lung Association from 2020 and 2022, to rank U.S. states on dental care quality out of a possible total of 100, according to the release.
Arkansas scored the worst with a score of 23.94. West Virginia came in as the second worst (24.91) state followed by Mississippi (26.63), Louisiana (28.61), and Tennessee (34.53). The factors that led these states to rank at the bottom of the list included low numbers of dentists, poor water fluoridation, and high smoking rates, according to the research.
On the upside, Connecticut has the best dental care. It had a score of 77.87 due to high dental visit rates and widespread water fluoridation. Utah was ranked second, scoring 76.35 due to its low smoking rate and high dental visit rate. Finally, Maryland, Hawaii, and Massachusetts rounded out the top five, according to the results.
"Annual trips to the dentist, at a minimum, are essential to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy, and your overall health is preserved," Loveland added.
