Eww! NJ dental hygiene is among the worst in the country

Hey people. This is New Jersey! This is not some podunk flyover state. This is not some country backward holler where we don’t have the best of the best in medical and dental resources.

It doesn’t make sense that we wouldn’t be some of the healthiest people in the country. But when it comes to dental hygiene, there is some disappointing news.

So, it turns out New Jersey isn’t exactly leading the pack when it comes to dental hygiene. Now, don’t get me wrong—we’re not as bad as some other states (cough Indiana,) but we’re definitely not winning any awards for our smiles either.

SEE MORE: 5 towns in New Jersey were voted best in the country

A recent survey by Risas Dental revealed some stats that really made me pause. Apparently, 53% of us aren’t flossing every day, and 30% of New Jerseyans are skipping the twice-a-day brushing routine. Yikes.

Taking care of our teeth isn’t exactly rocket science, right? But for some reason, it’s something we often overlook or push aside. A little brushing, flossing, and regular dentist visits can go a long way, and we really should start taking it more seriously.

When you look at the national numbers, 42% of Americans aren’t flossing daily, and almost 1 in 10 are skipping brushing twice a day. Plus, 80% of folks over 55 have some degree of tooth loss! So while we’re not at the bottom of the list, New Jersey definitely has room for improvement in the dental health department.

What can we do about it? Well, it starts with the basics: brush, floss, and get those checkups on the calendar. I know dental work can be pricey, but skipping out now can cost you way more in the long run. Let’s all step up our game and help boost New Jersey’s ranking in the dental hygiene world.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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