Tooth Loss Seniors

Overall, the prevalence of both partial and total tooth loss in seniors has decreased from the early 1970s until the latest (1999-2004) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In spite of this improvement, significant disparities remain in some population groups.

Tables 1 and 2 present information about tooth loss for seniors age 65 and over and for selected population groups.

Number of Teeth Remaining (Table 1)

• Seniors over age 65 have an average of 18.90 remaining teeth.
• Black seniors, current smokers, and those with lower incomes and less education have fewer remaining teeth.

Number of Adults with Total Tooth Loss (Table 2)

• 27.27% of seniors over age 65 have no remaining teeth
• Older seniors, women, Black seniors, current smokers, and those with lower incomes and less education are more likely to have no remaining teeth.

Table 1: Seniors, Mean Number of Permanent Teeth Remaining

Mean number of permanent teeth among seniors over 65 years of age, by selected characteristics:
United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004

Data Source: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has been an important source of information on oral health and dental care in the United States since the early 1970s. Tables 1 and 2 present the latest NHANES (collected between 1999 and 2004) data regarding tooth decay (dental caries) in children.

Table 2: Seniors, Percent with No Remaining Teeth

Mean percentage of seniors over 65 years of age with no remaining teeth, by selected characteristics:
United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004

Data Source: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has been an important source of information on oral health and dental care in the United States since the early 1970s. Tables 1 and 2 present the latest NHANES (collected between 1999 and 2004) data regarding tooth decay (dental caries) in children.