Walking into a job interview and walking into a blind date have a lot of things in common. The first impression is everything and the first thing that people notice will always be a brilliant smile. According to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), more than 99% of adults believe a healthy smile is important in social life. Finding and keeping a good family dentist keeps all your smiles bright and keeps the chances of a second date or follow-up interview high.
Nearly three-quarters of adults surveyed by the AACD said that career success can be impacted negatively by an unattractive smile. This is bad news for the one-in-five Americans with at least one cavity going without dental attention. The rate jumps to more than half for people living below the federal poverty line, without a high school diploma, and smokers. American males seem to be scared of the dentist, with a 56% rate of untreated cavities compared to females’ 38%.
According to survey results, 96% of people believe a good smile makes you more attractive to the opposite sex, too. Almost half of American adults over the age of 30 have some kind of periodontal (gum) disease, which can lead to edentulism (tooth loss) if it goes untreated. This can lead to costly dental implants or dentures if a person wants to restore their smile. About 15% of people with edentulism get dentures each year, which can cost well over $1,500 depending on style and quality. Regular visits to a family dentist, often covered by insurance or Medicaid, can prevent high costs, both monetary and social, in the future.
As a person ages, teeth and gum health becomes more difficult to maintain. More than 70% of adults 65 and older have periodontal disease (gum disease). Partial edentulism affects the majority of American adults, and the number is expected to grow to 200 million people in the next 15 years.
But just because someone is a senior citizen doesn’t mean they stop caring about how they look. More than half of adults in the AACD survey also said that a smile is the physical feature most likely to stay attractive as we age. Staying in the dating game, or keeping a marriage “spicy,” might mean seeing your family dentist on the side.