Most dental problems are preventable, but the numbers show how common they still are. This page gathers the most useful dental health statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), and explains in plain English what each one means for you and your family.

You are welcome to cite any figure on this page — please link back to this page and to the original source named beside it.

Last updated: November 2026. Compiled by Masood Ahmad, Editor, Dentist in Pico Rivera.

The global picture (WHO)

  • Oral diseases affect nearly 3.7 billion people worldwide — close to half the world’s population. (WHO, Oral Health fact sheet)
  • Untreated tooth decay in permanent teeth is the most common health condition in the world, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study. (WHO)
  • Severe gum (periodontal) disease affects more than 1 billion people worldwide. (WHO)
  • Most oral diseases are preventable and can be treated in their early stages. (WHO)

Children in the United States (CDC)

  • 52% of children aged 6–8 have had a cavity in their baby teeth. (CDC)
  • About 1 in 5 children aged 5–11 (roughly 20%) has at least one untreated decayed tooth. (CDC)
  • 1 in 6 children aged 6–11 has untreated cavities. (CDC)
  • Dental sealants reduce cavities in back teeth by about 80% — yet many children who would benefit do not have them. (CDC)
  • 34 million school hours are lost each year in the United States because of unplanned, emergency dental care. (CDC)

Adults in the United States (CDC)

  • 1 in 4 adults has untreated cavities. (CDC)
  • About 9 in 10 adults aged 20–64 have had a cavity at some point. (CDC)
  • 47.2% of adults aged 30 and over have some form of gum disease; it becomes more common with age. (CDC)

The cost of dental disease (CDC)

  • Almost $46 billion is lost in productivity each year in the United States due to dental disease. (CDC)
  • Untreated cavities can cause pain and infections that lead to problems with eating, speaking and learning. (CDC)

Prevention works (CDC)

  • Communities with fluoridated drinking water see about 25% fewer cavities in children and adults. (CDC)
  • Sealants on permanent molars prevent about 80% of cavities in the back teeth, where most childhood cavities occur. (CDC)
  • Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between the teeth daily, and regular check-ups remain the foundation of prevention. (CDC / ADA)

What this means for Pico Rivera families

The pattern in every figure above is the same: decay and gum disease are extremely common, largely preventable, and cheapest and easiest to deal with early. If you are looking for plain-English help, start with our guides to kids’ teeth cleaning, fluoride treatment for kids, and preventive dental care on this site.

Sources

  1. World Health Organization — Oral health fact sheet: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Fast Facts: Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Conditions (tooth decay section): https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Oral Health data and guidance on dental sealants and community water fluoridation: https://www.cdc.gov/oral-health/
  4. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research — Data & Statistics: https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/data-statistics

Compiled November 2026 by Masood Ahmad, Editor, Dentist in Pico Rivera (dentalpicorivera.com), an informational guide website. Figures are quoted from the sources above; if a source updates a figure, this page will be corrected at its next review.