States With the Worst Dental Hygiene Habits

Like the majority of the southern states, some of the cheapest dental costs can be found in Alabama. But the state is struggling with dental health habits just like the others. According to America’s Health Rankings, there are only 44 dentists for every 100,000 people in the state.

Wyoming ranks especially low in dental habits and care. Surprisingly though, as poor as Wyoming residents are in taking care of their teeth, they are near the top of the list for how well their teeth are actually holding up.

West Virginia scores low for a variety of metrics within the oral health realm. The state ranks first for the highest percentage of adult smokers and the highest percentage of elderly population with no natural teeth. West Virginia also ranks in the top five for several additional categories, including the highest percentage of adults with low life satisfaction due to oral condition, lowest percentage of adults who visited a dentist in the past year, highest consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, and highest percentage of adults who experienced oral pain in the past year. Step it up, West Virginia.

Arkansas doesn’t have much room to talk. The Natural State ranks at the top of the list for the most-consumed sugar-sweetened beverages. The state also has a very high rate of adult smokers. Surprise, surprise—sugary drinks and smoking aren’t exactly doing your teeth any favors.

Kentucky is no stranger to dental stains or tooth decay. Kentucky is struggling in the health division right now. Ranking #2 with the highest percentage of adult smokers isn’t helping anything.

Accessibility to dentists is certainly not the issue for Montana residents. Montana ranks within the top five for the most dentists per capita. However, the state has the highest percentage of adults with poor oral condition.

Louisiana is in the fifth spot for a couple of different reasons. The state has the fewest dentists per capita in the nation, making it more difficult for Louisiana residents to even find a dentist nearby, particularly in the rural areas. The consumption of sugary beverages also put Louisiana at the top of this list.

Pennsylvanians aren’t doing too bad. The state deemed the #2 spot for the highest percentage of adolescents who visited a dentist in the past year. However, the high living costs are forcing some residents to put dental visits on the backburner.

Dental Care is expensive and difficult to access in rural Alaska. Residents of this state have a high percentage of adults with poor oral health conditions as well as a high percentage of adults who experienced pain due to their oral health.

While Colorado ranks at 37th for Oral Health it holds the number 12 spot for Dental Care and Habits. Residents are not having many issues with their oral health, but are they taking preventative measures? Sounds like they need to start scheduling some dentist appointments.

Although the state was found to have some of the lowest dental treatment costs in the nation, Mississippi has been deemed to have the worst oral health in the country. Not only does the state have the lowest percentage of adults who visited a dentist in the past year; they also have the most adolescents with dental cavities. And if that’s not enough, they're among the top three states to have the highest percentage of no natural teeth in the elderly population.

Surprisingly, Tennessee has some of the lowest dental treatment costs in the United States. So why aren’t people going to the dentist? The state ranks among the lowest percentage of adults and adolescents who have visited a dentist in the past year.

With one of the highest percentages of adults who haven’t seen a dentist and among the top 5 states with the fewest dentists per capita, Oklahoma has a long way to go to secure proper oral health care for its residents.

Like all other southern states, South Carolina also struggles with dental health habits. The state doesn’t really have an issue with getting their residents to the dentist. South Carolina ranks among the top 5 states with the highest percentage of adults with poor oral condition.

evada residents are not taking preventative measures when it comes to taking regular care of their children’s teeth. The state ranks within the top 5 lowest percentage of adolescents who visited a dentist in the past year.

Lack of sufficient dental providers is certainly one barrier for North Carolina residents, they rank among the top for the least annual dentist visits per year.

Although Utah has the lowest percentage of adult smokers and has the most dentists per capita in the United States, the state has a very high percentage of adults with low life satisfaction due to oral condition.

Children in Missouri are quickly becoming one of the largest groups affected by the subpar health care in the state, ranking #4 in the nation with the lowest percentage of adolescents who visited a dentist in the last year.

New Mexico residents aren’t exactly doing the most for their dental health, but they aren’t doing the least either. The state takes the #4 spot with the most dental cavities in adolescents. But hey, at least these people are doing a decent job of going to the dentist!

Maine is among the top 5 for the highest dental treatment costs in the country – and for those who don’t have dental insurance, getting a root canal just might be too costly.

The Sunshine State residents have been spending too much time on the beach and not enough time at the dentist. Florida has the lowest percentage of adolescents who visited a dentist in the past year.

Vermont ranks among the top 5 for adolescents with the least number of dental cavities and for the lowest consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. The only thing holding this state back is the cost of dental treatment - it’s the highest in the United States. Not to shabby, Vermont!

Everything is bigger and better in Texas, right? I guess that stands for everything but dental health. Texas has the highest percentage of adults with low life satisfaction due to oral condition.

According to WalletHub, California has one of the highest amounts of dentists per capita, but the state is still in the midst of a health care crisis. With about 7 million residents, the state has the highest percentage of adults who experienced oral pain in the past year.

New York is somewhat low in its dental habits and oral health rankings, but it’s certainly not the worst on the list. Dental costs are mainly what’s holding back this state, which isn’t very surprising considering it seems that everything is more expensive in New York.