A survey of senior centers in New Hampshire shows that nearly 19 percent of older adults are in need of early or urgent dental care that may be difficult for them to access.
A total of 610 adults age 60 and older were screened last winter and this spring in the survey, which was funded by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and New Hampshire Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services. The survey said 38 of the participants received restorative treatment using state funds.
The survey showed that only 18.4 percent of older adults have some type of dental insurance to help pay for routine dental care. It also showed that 28 percent have no functional top-to-bottom tooth contact, which affects proper chewing, and 15.9 percent have lost all of their natural teeth.
