Dr. Ada Cooper -n- Dr. Leslie Winston

Watch Your Mouth!! What Americans May Not Be Telling Their Dentists That Could Pose A Health Danger. New survey finds financial constraints and lack of knowledge are leading to an alarming number of Americans not getting the dental care they need Dr. Ada Cooper, Consumer Advisor for the American Dental Association (ADA); a practicing dentist in New York Dr. Leslie Winston, director of Professional and Scientific Relations, Procter and Gamble (P&G) Oral Care Research Center. According to the survey data being released at the 2008 American Dental Associations Annual Session in San Antonio, TX on October 17, Americans are missing the bigger picture when it comes to their oral health. Selected survey results include:Cost of dental insurance is cited as a key barrier to proper oral health care: 60% of Americans say cost is one of the primary reasons they do not visit a dentist. Nearly 13% of those who do have insurance did not visit the dentist at all in the last year. 48% of lower-income Americans do not go to the dentist and 55% do not have dental insurance What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: 33 percent think a little bleeding from brushing is normal. 16 percent don’t know that if left untreated, gingivitis can advance to periodontal disease 37 percent don’t know that poor oral health care has been linked to stroke, diabetes and obesity Parents need more guidance to teach their children how to stick to a proper oral care routine: Parents are unclear as to what age to take their child to see a dentist for the first time. 80% of parents say they do a “good” or “excellent” job of taking their kids to dental check-ups, yet one in four parents say their kids do a “poor” or “fair” job of taking care of their mouth, teeth and gums. Dr. Ada Cooper and Dr. Leslie Winston discuss the survey results and offer oral health tips for your viewers.