The rate of untreated caries was 21.3% among US adults, researchers reported in The Journal of the American Dental Association. The study assessed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2017 to 2020, ADA News reported. “There is a substantial unmet health care need in the U.S. adult population for the prevention and management of untreated caries, and public health efforts should aim particularly to address disease within those subgroups who are at a disproportionately high risk,” said author Nasir Zeeshan Bashir, B.D.S., a research fellow in the University of Bristol School of Oral and Dental Sciences in England.
Tooth decay can be very costly for those who do not have treatment, and regular professional care will help by detecting issues early.