, chief dental officer at the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services , in Baltimore.
For the study, researchers analyzed data on the oral health of Medicare beneficiaries living in CMS-certified nursing homes in 2020. Overall, having no natural teeth or tooth fragments were the most common dental problems in seniors, followed by cavities or broken natural teeth, pain, difficulty chewing, broken dentures and inflamed gums, among other oral health issues.
There were some striking disparities seen across racial and ethnic groups. For example, Black people were 16% more likely to have no natural teeth or tooth fragments and 5% more likely to have cavities or broken natural teeth, compared with white people. American Indian or Alaskan Native seniors were also more likely to experience dental issues than white people.