Many young adults are skipping dental care, with big consequences

A smile shows more than confidence. Dentists can spot early warning signs of diabetes, heart disease, or even cancer. Yet dental care in the United States sits outside the larger health system.

Insurance often excludes dental care and public health programs rarely promote it. As a result, many people postpone visits until problems become too severe to ignore.

Skipping dental care doesn’t just hurt teeth. It weakens nutrition, increases inflammation, and raises risks for chronic illness. Poor oral health can shorten life expectancy. Despite this, dental coverage remains separate from medical insurance, leaving millions without support.

Young adults skip dental care

New research from Tufts University, based on nearly 128,000 adults, shows just how wide the gap has become. The findings are clear: young adults miss dental visits more than any other age group.

“Young adults, aged 18 to 35 years old, were the most likely to report not having visited a dentist within the past 12 months,” said Professor Yau-Hua Yu. “This is very troubling.”

The researchers analyzed information from the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us program, one of the world’s largest biomedical databases.

The study linked income, housing, and health conditions to dental visits. Patterns quickly appeared. Cost and lack of insurance kept people away from the dentist. Mental health struggles and unstable housing made things worse.

“Across all ages, people generally managed to see a doctor,” explained Professor Yu. “But those who skipped dental care most often pointed to cost and lack of insurance coverage.”

Young adults under pressure

For young adults, the challenge goes beyond cost. Many juggle rent, student loans, and unstable jobs. Without employer coverage, dental insurance becomes an extra expense.

The study shows this group also avoids medical care, struggles with copays, and relies more on emergency departments. Stress, memory problems, and poor mental health appear more often in this group.

This isn’t only about health. Untreated dental pain can mean missed workdays, lower productivity, or job loss. Over time, small cavities turn into infections, pulling people into debt from emergency procedures.

Older adults need dental care

The study also highlights older adults. Most have insurance and own homes, yet many live with disabilities. Walking, bathing, or traveling to appointments becomes difficult.

For them, missing the dentist isn’t about money – it’s about mobility. Dentures, implants, and age-related oral conditions add further challenges. Without targeted support, these issues grow worse.

“Our findings show the urgent need to integrate dental care into overall health care,” Yu said. “They also suggest that interventions must be tailored not only to income, but to life stage and cumulative disadvantage.”

“The desperate need to bring routine preventative dental care to younger adults – who will be our prime source for societal productivity – should not be ignored.”

The message is simple: the body doesn’t separate oral health from overall health. Policies that treat them as separate create long-term problems for families, employers, and healthcare systems.

Fixing dental care access

Professor Yu suggests several paths forward. Expanding public dental insurance could ease cost barriers. Mobile clinics or home-based care could help older adults.

Community partnerships could reach younger adults, especially those without stable coverage. These ideas put dental care where people already are instead of forcing them to overcome barriers alone.

Ignoring the problem keeps hospitals busy with dental emergencies and patients stuck in cycles of pain. Including dental coverage in broader healthcare discussions could shift the focus toward prevention.

Power of community care

“When dental care is rooted in trusted community spaces, it feels more familiar and supportive,” explained Professor Yu.

“That lowers the barriers of fear, inconvenience, and cost uncertainty that may keep some young adults away – and it helps them shift from waiting until there’s an emergency to hopefully seeking regular, preventive care.”

Community groups, local health systems, and faith-based organizations already test models of affordable oral care. These programs reduce stigma and bring dentistry closer to daily life.

For younger adults, this trust may mean the difference between neglect and prevention. For older adults, it could mean care that comes directly to their door.

Dental health is essential

Oral health belongs inside healthcare, not outside it. Studies like this one show that missing the dentist is never just about teeth.

The research reflects financial strain, housing challenges, mental health, and policy gaps. Bridging this divide will require more than awareness – it will need insurance reform, local programs, and national commitment.

The evidence is clear. Dental health affects work, daily life, and long-term health outcomes. Treating it as optional only deepens inequality, but treating it as essential could change lives across generations.

The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Oral Health.

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