LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In a finding that is sure to cause gnashing of teeth, Arkansas ranks near dead last among states for dental health.
WalletHub released a study on Feb. 1, to coincide with National Children’s Dental Health Month, of states with the best and worst dental health. In ranking the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Arkansas came in next-to-last at 50.
Two categories that led to a state’s ranking were dental habits and care and oral health. Arkansas ranked poorly in oral health at 50 but did manage to score 35 for dental habits and care.
Other findings from the study were the percentage of Arkansas residents who visited a dentist in the past year. Here the state was in last place at 51.
Dentists per capita findings were also found poor for Arkansas, here it being 47 out of 51. The high percentage of the Natural State’s population who smoked put Arkansas at 50 out of 51.
Some hope in Arkansas findings was 37 for sugary beverage consumption, but that list ended at 41 due to the number of states with tie scores in that category. Arkansas tied with Florida at 49 for the number of adults with fair or poor oral condition in the study’s findings.
The first-place rank went to Wisconsin, followed closely by Illinois. The only state which finished behind Arkansas when the rankings were calculated was Mississippi.