Here’s How Seniors In NC Rank For Oral Health Care

Images of older Americans missing some — or all — of their teeth are pervasive in Hollywood and on TV. Indeed, a new report ranking every state for senior oral health says a third of our oldest residents are missing at least six teeth.

But tooth decay and poor oral health are not inevitable, experts say, and some states are doing a much better job of helping their most vulnerable residents than others.

The nonprofit organization Oral Health America released the fourth edition of its report, “A State of Decay,” in April. North Carolina ranked 12th in the country with a score of 65 percent. That amounts to a rating of “good” when it comes to the state of oral health of older residents, according to the report.

Here’s a breakdown of the findings for North Carolina:

• Residents 65 and older with severe tooth loss (losing at least six teeth): 43.3 percent
• Residents 65 and older who have visited a dentist in the last year: 63.1 percent
• Number of covered Medicaid dental services (13 possible): 11
• Residents who receive fluoridated water: 87.8 percent
• State oral health plan score (3 is highest possible): 2
• Basic screening survey score (5 is highest possible): 5

Here’s a breakdown of the U.S. as a whole:

• Residents 65 and older with severe tooth loss (mean): 36.7 percent
• Residents 65 and older who have visited a dentist in the last year (mean): 66.7 percent
• Number of covered Medicaid dental services (mean): 7.75
• Residents who receive fluoridated water (mean): 72.6 percent
• State oral health plan score (mean): 1.51
• Basic screening survey score (mean): 2.08

Minnesota ranked tops in the nation with a perfect score. Wisconsin, Iowa, Connecticut and Colorado rounded out the top five, each with scores of at least 92 percent.

Twenty-five states received a poor score. The authors noted that sociodemographic factors, such as income, race, gender and education, played a significant role in oral health outcomes. Specifically, as income levels rose, so did the probability of good oral health.

The organization based the scores on various metrics. Among them were severe tooth loss, recent dental visits and adult medicaid dental benefits. The group also looked at access to a fluoridated community water supply and whether a state had a plan to improve oral health for seniors.

The existence of basic screening surveys also factored into the rating. These are state-commissioned questionnaires used to measure the provision of oral health services to older adults.

“Tooth loss and poor oral health are not inevitable during the aging process,” said Karen Tracy, The Gerontological Society of America’s vice president of strategic alliances and integrated communications.

Beth Truett, president and CEO of Oral Health America, said millions of older adults remain disadvantaged when it comes to oral health care, even with strides in recent years. The report recommended several federal and state policies to address what it called underlying and systemic variables that prevent older people from attaining good oral health.

• Reinstate, create or maintain a comprehensive adult Medicaid dental benefit.
• Integrate comprehensive dental coverage in Medicare.
• Sustain or expand community water fluoridation.
• Include specific objectives for older adults in all state oral health plans.
• Conduct basic screening surveys of older adults in every state.

“Access to and utilization of care and to the coverage needed to pay for care is critical to increasing the overall health and wellness of America’s seniors,” said Truett.

Click here to read the full report and methodology.

Patch reporter Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

Photo credit: beeboys/Shutterstock