New CDC Study

A new study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly half of US adults have some level of periodontal disease . The study found that about 47% of US adults aged 30 years and older have gum disease . In adults aged 65 years and older , an estimated 70 % have gum disease . The study , conducted on 3,743 adults shows the prevalence of periodontal(gum) disease is high – nearly half of all American adults have gum disease , and the percentage increases to nearly three fourths of older adults . Among the key findings of the study were that for adults 30 years old and older , 8.7% have mild gum disease , 30% have moderate and 8.5% have severe gum disease. The percents are higher in males, Mexican descent , with under a high school education , income below 100% of federal poverty levels and current smokers , these were the factors that increased the likelihood of more severe gum disease.