Statistics Canada reports income and dental insurance gaps significantly impact Canadians' oral health
A recent report from Statistics Canada reveals that oral health plays a critical role in Canadians' quality of life, with over 26 percent experiencing oral pain or avoiding certain foods due to mouth issues.
Populations most affected include seniors, individuals without dental insurance, and those with disabilities.
Oral health impacts both physical and psychological well-being throughout life.
Adults, particularly women and those over 18, were significantly more likely to report oral health problems than younger people.
The report shows that 29 percent of adults experienced mouth problems compared to 14 percent of children and youth. Additionally, persistent oral pain was more commonly reported among women and girls (24 percent) compared to men and boys (19 percent).
Toothlessness, or the loss of all natural teeth, was particularly prevalent among seniors, with 11 percent of those aged 60 and older affected. This is a lower rate compared to the global figure of 23 percent for seniors, as reported by the World Health Organization in 2022.
However, toothlessness can result in serious health consequences, including increased risk of chronic diseases.
The survey also found that lower-income Canadians and those without dental insurance are more likely to experience oral pain. Those earning less than $70,000 reported more frequent issues compared to higher-income groups.
Additionally, Canadians without dental insurance were significantly more likely to avoid certain foods and experience mouth pain.
Ethnic differences were also noted. Filipino and Arab Canadians reported higher rates of persistent pain, while Black, Filipino, and Arab Canadians were more likely to avoid certain foods due to mouth issues.
These disparities highlight the varying impacts of oral health problems across different population groups.
People with disabilities reported the most significant challenges, with nearly half experiencing persistent mouth pain or avoiding foods. This group also had a higher incidence of toothlessness compared to people without disabilities.
Notably, older adults with disabilities were more likely to have lost all their teeth.
The report also linked smoking to higher rates of toothlessness. Smokers were twice as likely as non-smokers to lose all their teeth, with seniors showing the largest gap between current or former smokers and those who never smoked.
Finally, the survey revealed that 70 percent of Canadians brush their teeth at least twice a day, though only 30 percent floss regularly. Women and girls were more likely to engage in these oral hygiene habits than men and boys.
These findings are based on the Canadian Oral Health Survey (COHS), conducted between November 2023 and March 2024. It is the first national survey dedicated to oral health in Canada, covering Canadians of all ages living in the provinces.
