20% of Albertans have persistent oral health problems [Video]

A surprising number of Albertans are living with persistent pain and oral health problems, according to data from Statistics Canada.

In a survey of self-reported dental problems, 21 per cent of Albertans said they experienced persistent and ongoing mouth pain, and the same amount of people reported untreated oral health problems.

For 15 per cent of Albertans, their mouth problems were bad enough they avoided eating some foods.

Despite the obvious need, almost a third of people hadn’t seen a dental professional in the last year.

The main obstacles keeping people out of the dentist’s chair are economic, though there are barriers beyond just the cost of treatment, said Dr. Steven Patterson, professor in the University of Alberta’s faculty of medicine and dentistry.

About 20 per cent of Albertans have no dental insurance, but Patterson said that for some, having a public or private plan still isn’t enough to cover …