According to the 2025 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report, released by Delta Dental, public understanding of the connection between oral health and specific systemic health conditions declined over the past year, despite a continued belief in the general link between oral and overall wellness.
The annual survey, now in its fifth year, included responses from 2,000 U.S. adults and parents of children age 12 and under. While most adults continue to recognize that oral health affects overall health, fewer adults this year reported understanding specific associations with conditions such as heart disease, respiratory illness, and high blood pressure.
“Oral health is a cornerstone of overall wellness, and while it is encouraging to see that most adults recognize this important connection, greater efforts are needed to demonstrate its critical role in preventing and managing systemic health conditions,” said James W. Hutchison, president and CEO of Delta Dental Plans Association.
Awareness Drops for Oral-Systemic Connections
The report notes a decline from last year in the number of adults who identified specific medical issues as being linked to oral health. The survey did not provide exact comparative percentages, but the downward trend marks a notable shift in public perception year over year.
Awareness related to pregnancy also remains limited. Only one third (33%) of adults correctly understood that pregnant individuals are at higher risk for gum disease. Just over one in four (26%) recognized that poor oral health during pregnancy could be associated with adverse outcomes such as preterm birth or low birth weight.
Dental Visit Patterns Hold Steady, Cosmetic Visits Drop
Despite reduced awareness in some areas, preventive dental care continued at a consistent rate. Among adults who visited a dentist in 2024, 84% reported going for preventive reasons — roughly the same as in 2023 (83%).
There was a significant decline in unplanned or problem-based visits, which dropped to 22% in 2024 from 36% the previous year. Cosmetic dental visits also saw a sharp decrease, falling from 12% in 2023 to 4% in 2024.
Anxiety Remains a Barrier
Dental anxiety continues to prevent a substantial portion of the population from seeking care. More than one in five adults (21%) reported avoiding dental care due to anxiety, while 14% of parents said they had skipped taking their children to the dentist for the same reason.
Among those who experience dental anxiety, fear of pain or discomfort was the leading concern — reported by 59% of affected adults and 72% of children.
Prenatal Dental Care Seen as Important, but Knowledge Gap Persists
The report found that a majority of women (54%) who are or have been pregnant indicated that they consider dental visits to be as important as annual physicals. However, as noted above, understanding of the specific risks associated with oral health during pregnancy remains limited.
Methodology
Delta Dental commissioned the third-party research firm Material Holdings, LLC, to conduct the survey. Data was collected between January 9 and January 23, 2025, using online surveys distributed via email to a nationally representative sample of 1,000 U.S. adults and 1,000 parents of children age 12 and under. The research has a margin of error of ±3%.
The full report is available at www.deltadental.com.
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