The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is releasing the results of a survey about the dental health needs of adults across Windsor and Essex County.
Over 1,594 residents completed the “Dental health of adults and seniors in Windsor and Essex County” survey.
“Good dental health is critical to good overall health,” says Dr. Wajid Ahmed, acting medical officer of health. “The results show that the health and well-being of adults in our community is being affected because they aren’t able to access the dental services they need to stay healthy and this is concerning.”
The survey findings show that dental health insurance was an important factor for access to dental health care among survey respondents, regardless of their household income.
Adults without dental insurance were approximately:
-2 times more likely to experience a dental concern (e.g., tooth or mouth pain; missing, loose, or broken teeth; and cavities).
-2.3 times more likely to have an unmet dental need that affected their life, such as one’s eating, socializing, and/or self-esteem.
-17 times more likely to have problems accessing dental health services compared to adults with dental insurance.
The findings also showed that the cost of dental care was a barrier for the majority of adults regardless of their household income.
The results of this survey reinforce the need for adult dental health services in our community, first identified in the WECHU’s 2016 Community Needs Assessment.
Health unit officials say few low cost dental health care treatment services exist in our community for adults.
For more information on WECHU’s dental health program, please visit the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit website.
