ARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

U.S. DEP Dental caries and tooth loss are important oral health indicators for adults and are key measures for monitoring progress toward health promotion goals set by Healthy People 2020 (1,2). Although tooth decay and complete tooth loss have been declining in the United States since the 1960s, disparities have remained between some groups (3,4). As adults age, oral health-related quality of life is negatively affected by tooth loss and decay (5). This report describes U.S. adult dental caries and tooth loss by age and race and Hispanic origin for 2011–2012.