Nearly half of Americans believe dentists can see through their lies

Does anyone actually floss anymore? A new survey found that over half of Americans have lied to their dentist about their dental hygiene and feel guilty about their dishonesty.

In the poll of 2,000 American adults, 60% confessed to wanting to impress their dentist during office visits, leading 57% to lie about their dental hygiene during appointments.

However, nearly half (48%) believe their dentist can see right through the lies.

This led to 64% feeling guilty about their dishonesty. Interestingly, millennials (31%) and Gen X (29%) felt the least guilty about lying through their teeth compared to older Americans.

Among the list of oral hygiene don’ts in the survey, over half of Americans (53%) confessed they don’t regularly floss, and nearly seven in 10 (68%) said they brush their teeth for less than two minutes during a standard brushing session.

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Aspen Dental, the study spoke to the mixed emotions Americans experience when it comes to dental visits, including fear, anxiety and discomfort which, for many, has led to delayed care.

Anxiety is the top culprit keeping Americans from visiting the dentist (24%) and more women (29%) than men (17%) expressed feelings of anxiety when it comes to dental appointments.

Twenty-two percent agreed the actual dental work puts them off, with baby boomers feeling the most uncomfortable with having dental work done (25%). And 13% have avoided the dentist’s office because they're embarrassed about their poor dental hygiene.

The survey also revealed that nearly a quarter of Americans (22%) experience discomfort or soreness in their mouths at least once per week, with millennials experiencing more discomfort each week than other generations (34%).

These feelings may contribute to the 45% who have not visited a dentist in the last year and the nearly one in five Americans (19%) who haven’t seen the inside of a dentist’s office in five years.

Digging more into the embarrassment and avoidance factors, the results revealed that a third of those who have lied to the dentist (33%) simply didn’t want their dentist to think less of them, while a fifth (19%) said they don’t mean to be dishonest, but that “panic lies” accidentally slip out, especially among Gen Z who seem to tell more panic lies to the dentist more than other generations (27%).

However, when leaving the office determined to maintain better dental health, respondents said their good dental hygiene habits last only eight days, on average, before slipping back into bad habits.

“Maintaining adequate oral health can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s so important to have a dentist who you feel comfortable connecting with, who shows empathy and leaves all judgement at the door, " said Dr. Taylor Sutton, multi-practice owner and practicing dentist at Aspen Dental. “Everyone wants access to high-quality, non-complicated dental care, but many said that finding a skilled and trustworthy dentist (37%) and dental hygienist (34%) is nearly impossible. It’s important to us that everyone is able to receive excellent, quality care that’s convenient, comfortable and no-nonsense.”

And while most Americans (89%) know that going to regular dentist appointments is important, almost half (48%) prioritize going to the doctor more than the dentist.

And 30% of all respondents are still searching for the perfect dentist.

“Oral care is not just about maintaining a beautiful smile, it's a crucial part of overall health and well-being," said Dr. Tracy Redden, multi-practice owner and practicing dentist at Aspen Dental. “Neglecting oral hygiene — whatever your reason — can lead to serious health issues. Your mouth is the gateway to your body that can affect your overall health. Maintaining oral health is not a choice, but a necessity for our overall wellbeing."

Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Aspen Dental and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Jan. 25 and Jan. 30, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
● Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
● Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in
Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
● Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
● Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
● Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
● Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.