What state has the most cavities?

Asked by: Mr. Kadin Wintheiser  |  Last update: July 31, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (68 votes)

States with the Worst Dental Health The state with the worst dental health was Arkansas, followed by West Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

Where are most cavities located?

Decay most often occurs in your back teeth — your molars and premolars. These teeth have lots of grooves, pits and crannies, and multiple roots that can collect food particles. That's why they're harder to keep clean than your smoother, easy-to-reach front teeth. Certain foods and drinks.

What state has the most people with missing teeth?

People in Appalachia have worse oral health than other Americans. West Virginia, the only state entirely located in Appalachia, has the highest rate of people missing 6 or more teeth (65.6%) and the second highest rate of complete tooth loss (37.8%) for people aged 65 years and older.

Which US state has the best teeth?

Top 5 states with the best dental health
  • Connecticut: 73.44% (down 2.78 percentage points)
  • South Dakota: 69.24% (up 1.34 percentage points) ...
  • Hawaii: 69.32% (down 3.94 percentage points)
  • Utah: 70.44% (down 1.42 percentage points)
  • Massachusetts: 72.64% (down 1.30 percentage points)

Who has the most cavities?

When compared to their counterparts, black and Mexican American adults, younger adults, those with lower incomes and less education, and those who currently smoke were more likely to have untreated decay.

do you REALLY need to get a CAVITY filled?

34 related questions found

Which state has the most cavities?

Arkansas has the highest prevalence of untreated decay (42%), followed by Oklahoma (40%), Arizona (39%) and Nevada (39%). Vermont has the lowest prevalence of untreated decay (16%).

Is 20 cavities a lot?

How Many Cavities is Too Many? A few cavities may be normal due to sugary diets and oral hygiene, but more than 3 or 4 may indicate a need for better dental care and diet changes. Actively having a high number of cavities (more than 4 or 5) at one time might indicate issues with oral hygiene or diet.

What ethnicity has the healthiest teeth?

Teeth Around the World: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

With a DMFT (decayed, missing, or filled teeth) index score of 0.4, Danish citizens have pretty perfect teeth. Germany, Finland, Sweden, and the UK all have scores below 1.0, making them the five countries with the healthiest teeth.

Which state has the least dentists?

By state, the supply of dentists per 100,000 resident population in 2021 was lowest in Alabama (41.31), Arkansas (41.61), and Mississippi (43.36), and highest in District of Columbia (109.99), Massachusetts (81.99), and Alaska (80.25).

Who has better teeth British or American?

But findings detailed by the British Dental Association suggest that this myth doesn't hold up against reality. In fact, the results showed people in Britain may actually have better oral health.

Is it OK to live with missing teeth?

Atrophy occurs, which leads to resorption. The bone tissue loss caused by missing teeth can negatively impact a person's ability to move their jaw, and some people develop jaw pain due to it. The bone tissue breakdown also alters facial structures, leading to fine lines and wrinkles forming around the mouth.

Which country cares the most about teeth?

Scandinavian Dental Hygiene

Countries like Sweden, Norway, and Denmark consistently rank high in dental care. Their comprehensive public healthcare systems ensure regular check-ups and preventative dental care for citizens.

What percent of Americans have no teeth?

2.2% of adults 20 to 64 years have no remaining teeth. Older adults, current smokers, and those with lower incomes and less education are more likely to have no remaining teeth.

What age gets the most cavities?

Seniors (65 and Older)

Cavity risks for seniors increase due to dry mouth, receding gums, and medications that affect oral health. It's common for seniors to experience root decay as the gums recede, exposing the roots of teeth to plaque and bacteria.

How much does it cost to fill a cavity?

Key takeaways: The cost of a cavity filling can range from $100 for amalgam material to about $1,050 for porcelain. The average cost for a composite resin dental filling — the most popular type of cavity filling — is $191.

What US state has the best dental care?

Illinois is the state with the best dental health, according to personal finance website WalletHub, jumping from No. 2 in 2023. The site ranked all 50 states and Washington, D.C., based on two major metrics: dental habits and care and oral health.

What nationality are the best dentists?

Countries known for dental excellence
  • Germany is recognised as one of the best countries for dental care. ...
  • Switzerland is also known for its high-quality dental care. ...
  • Denmark consistently ranks high in global dental health studies. ...
  • Japan is known for its high levels of dental hygiene and advanced dental technology.

What country has the least dental problems?

The DMFT Index: Healthy primary teeth by country
  • Mexico. DMFT Score: 1.1. ...
  • Canada. DMFT Score: 1.0. ...
  • Switzerland. DMFT Score: 0.9. ...
  • Sweden. DMFT Score: 0.8. ...
  • United Kingdom. DMFT Score: 0.8. ...
  • Finland. DMFT Score: 0.7. ...
  • Germany. DMFT Score: 0.5. ...
  • Denmark – the number one country for healthy primary teeth. DMFT Score: 0.4.

Who has the cleanest teeth ever?

The data indicates Denmark has the best oral health of all the countries in the entire world.

What ethnicity eats the healthiest?

The 10 Healthiest Cuisines in the World
  • South Mediterranean (Italian and Greek) ...
  • Korean. ...
  • Ethiopian. ...
  • Nordic Scandinavian. ...
  • Vietnamese. ...
  • Lebanese. ...
  • Thai. Thai cuisine is typically low in saturated fat and is cooked with lean meats. ...
  • Spanish. This cuisine includes a lot of dried fruits and nuts, which are high in fiber content.

What ethnicity has big teeth?

Tooth size has been shown to have a strong association with both sex and ethnicity. Males have consistently larger teeth than females, whereas people of African descent have larger mesiodistal tooth dimensions than those of European descent.

Do dentists judge you for having a lot of cavities?

Contrary to popular belief, dentists do not judge their patients for having cavities.

Can you reverse cavities?

Enamel can repair itself by using minerals from saliva, and fluoride from toothpaste or other sources. But if the tooth decay process continues, more minerals are lost. Over time, the enamel is weakened and destroyed, forming a cavity. A cavity is permanent damage that a dentist has to repair with a filling.

Are cavities genetic?

Cavities and decay are not typically relative to genetics.

However, there is some debate here among the scientific community. Some studies have stated that some people have teeth that are automatically more prone to cavities, but the information has not been completely conclusive.