Chicago’s Post-Pandemic Dental Crisis: What 3 Years of Delayed Care Is Costing Patients

The pandemic changed everything. Including your teeth.

Between closed offices, fear of exposure, and shifting priorities, millions of Americans put dental care on hold. Now, years later, dentists across Chicago are seeing the results. And the cost of waiting is adding up.

The Numbers Behind the Backlog

When COVID-19 hit, dental offices shut down. Even after reopening, many patients stayed away.

The American Dental Association reported that 40% of Americans skipped dental visits in 2020 due to the pandemic. That was not a small dip. It was a collapse.

Data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality shows the scale. In 2019, about 149 million Americans visited a dentist. In 2020, that number dropped to 131 million. That is 18 million fewer people getting care in a single year.

Total dental visits fell by 19%. Total spending on dental care dropped by 16.1%. The system nearly ground to a halt.

Children Took the Biggest Hit

Adults delayed care. But children missed it entirely.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that cavity rates among children increased by 30% due to missed care during the pandemic. School screenings stopped. Routine checkups vanished. Problems that would have been caught early were left to grow.

In the UK, research showed that 9 million children missed dental care in the year after the first lockdown. The pattern repeated in cities across the world, including Chicago.

For kids, timing matters. Baby teeth guide adult teeth into place. Cavities in baby teeth can spread to permanent teeth. Early intervention prevents bigger problems. When that window closes, the damage is harder to fix.

What Delayed Care Actually Costs

Skipping the dentist does not save money. It shifts the cost to later, and it grows.

A small cavity caught early might need a simple filling. Left alone for two years, that same cavity can reach the nerve. Now you need a root canal. And a crown. The $200 filling became a $2,000 procedure.

Research from Sunbrite Dental found that people who avoid routine care spend over 40% more on dental treatment over their lifetime compared to those who keep regular appointments.

The math is simple. Prevention is cheap. Repair is expensive. Waiting makes everything worse.

The Stress Factor Made Things Worse

The pandemic did not just delay care. It created new problems.

Stress affects your mouth. When people feel anxious, they clench their jaws. They grind their teeth at night. This is called bruxism, and it surged during the pandemic.

A 2024 study in the journal Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine noted that bruxism affects 60 to 70% of the population at some level. But only 1 in 4 people with symptoms are aware they have it. Stress makes it worse, and the pandemic delivered stress in waves.

Research published in 2024 confirmed what dentists were seeing in their chairs. There is a clear link between stress and bruxism. Grinding wears down teeth. It causes headaches. It leads to jaw pain and TMJ problems. It cracks crowns and fillings.

Delta Dental’s 2024 research noted a continued rise in night guard usage among adults. That tracks with what happened. People were grinding through their anxiety, often without knowing it.

Signs You Might Have a Pandemic Backlog

Not sure if delayed care is catching up with you? Here are warning signs:

Sensitivity that was not there before. Hot and cold foods hurt. Sweet foods cause a zing. This often means decay has progressed.

Bleeding when you brush or floss. This points to gum inflammation. Left untreated, it can become gum disease.

Teeth that look longer. Gums receding is a sign of periodontal problems. Once gum tissue is lost, it does not grow back.

Chips or cracks you do not remember getting. Grinding weakens teeth over time. Small fractures add up.

Jaw pain or headaches, especially in the morning. Clenching at night strains muscles and joints. Many people wake up with soreness and do not connect it to their teeth.

Bad breath that will not go away. Persistent bad breath can signal infection or decay hiding below the surface.

If any of these sound familiar, it is time to get checked.

The Good News: Care Is Catching Up

The backlog was real. But the recovery is happening.

Research from Delta Dental released in late 2024 showed that preventive and diagnostic dental procedures have largely returned to pre-pandemic levels. People are coming back. Offices are open. The worst of the disruption is behind us.

That said, individual backlogs remain. If you have not been to the dentist since 2019 or 2020, you are not alone. But you are also not off the hook. The longer you wait, the more likely small issues have become bigger ones.

How to Catch Up Without Overwhelm

Walking back into a dental office after years away can feel intimidating. Here is how to make it easier.

Start with honesty. Tell your dentist how long it has been. A good dental team will not judge you. They will help you prioritize what needs attention first.

Expect a thorough exam. After a long gap, your dentist will want X-rays and a full assessment. This is normal. It is the only way to see what is happening below the surface.

Ask about staging treatment. If you need multiple procedures, you do not have to do everything at once. Work with your dentist to create a plan that fits your schedule and budget.

Do not skip the cleaning. Even if you need other work, a professional cleaning removes buildup that brushing cannot reach. It sets the foundation for everything else.

Consider a night guard. If you have been stressed, your teeth may have paid the price. A custom night guard protects against grinding damage while you sleep.

Prevention Still Wins

The pandemic taught us that skipping care has consequences. But it also reminded us that catching up is possible.

Regular checkups catch problems early. Cleanings remove plaque before it hardens into tartar. Fluoride treatments strengthen enamel. These simple steps cost less than repair work and keep your mouth healthier over time.

The American Dental Association recommends at least one dental visit per year. Many dentists suggest two. If you have been away for a while, now is the time to restart that habit.

Your teeth waited for you. Do not make them wait any longer.