Noncitizen immigrants in the US report having substantially poorer oral health than natives, according to research published in the June issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.

For the cover story, “Disparities in Oral Health by Immigration Status in the United States,” researchers analyzed oral health data from the 2013 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They found that more than a half (50.5%) of noncitizens were diagnosed with periodontal disease and 38% had dental caries, while for natives, these rates were 34.4% and 27%, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, race or ethnicity, education, poverty, smoking status, and number of permanent teeth, noncitizens still had 45% higher adjusted odds of periodontal disease than natives, according to the article.

Researchers noted that lack of insurance was a major driver of poor oral health for noncitizens, with 51.2% having no insurance compared to 14.3% for US natives.

“Our study highlights the need for state and federal policies and targeted oral health interventions to help improve access to preventive dental care in immigrant communities,” said Fernando A. Wilson, PhD, corresponding author of the article and an associate professor in the department of health services research and administration at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health.

To read the entire article, visit JADA.ADA.org.