With growing concern over the rise of health misinformation online, endodontists—dentists with advanced training in saving natural teeth—are sounding the alarm: younger generations are being dangerously misled by false claims spreading across social media, from root canal treatments to fluoride in drinking water.
A new survey by the American Association of Endodontists confirms dental experts’ worst fears about online fearmongering. Specifically, nearly half of Gen Z respondents (48%) and millennials (46%) say they are afraid of having a root canal, compared to only 38% of the overall sample. For many, the fear of root canals comes from what they have seen online—40% of Gen Z respondents and 36% of millennials report that they always or often struggle to distinguish between myths and facts when reading about dental health online.
“We are concerned that fear and misinformation are contributing to younger adults avoiding the dental chair, as nearly half of both Gen Z and millennial adults surveyed admitted to only going to the dentist when experiencing pain in their mouth,” said Steven J. Katz, DDS, MS, President of the American Association of Endodontists. “People who do not get routine dental care are at risk for serious tooth decay, which can lead to overall health issues.”
Getting to the Root of Root Canal Facts
While misinformation can add to patients’ overall misconceptions about the procedure, root canal treatment is often a straightforward procedure to relieve dental pain and save natural teeth. Patients typically need a root canal when there is inflammation or infection in the roots of a tooth. During root canal treatment, an endodontist carefully removes the pulp from inside the tooth, cleans, disinfects, and shapes the root canals, and places a filling to seal the space.
The survey found that 45% of adults say they have had a root canal, and 71% of adults who have undergone a root canal report they are glad they chose to have a root canal instead of a tooth extraction. In fact, tooth extractions evoke a strong negative reaction among those surveyed, with 29% indicating that they would rather get the flu than have a tooth extracted.
Regrets from Following Online Health Advice Piling Up
The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer confirmed that more younger people are turning to health advice from “non-experts”—but oftentimes regret their decision afterward. The survey found that 45% of people aged 18–34 reported that “uncertified” voices impact decisions they make about their health, including influencers, content creators, and peers. However, more than half of this group (58%) admitted they have made a regrettable health decision based on misinformation from social media.
Based on the results of the AAE survey, Dr. Katz acknowledged that people have trouble deciphering fact from fiction when searching for oral health information online. Specifically, nearly 1 in 3 adults (30%) said that when reading about dental health online, they always or often struggle to distinguish between myths and facts—which Dr. Katz believes gives influencers an opening to spread misinformation about not only dental health, but overall health as well.
AAE Survey Highlights
Dental Habits
- Nearly half of adults (42%) said they would only go to the dentist if they are experiencing pain in their mouth.
- 94% of adults said it is important to them to keep their natural teeth as long as possible.
- Despite this knowledge, 58% of those surveyed reported that they do not floss their teeth every day.
- While the majority of adults (85%) said they would trust a dental professional for dental advice, 23% said they would trust a Google search for dental advice.
Common Dental Trauma Culprits
- Fear of losing or injuring their teeth is a real concern for most adults. Nearly 3 in 4 adults (74%) report that they are afraid of losing their natural teeth.
- 58% did not indicate that they believe it is possible to save a tooth that has been knocked out.
- People’s fears about losing their teeth are not unfounded—more than 5 million teeth are knocked out every year in children and adults, with children under age 10 extremely susceptible to this injury.
- The survey found that 85% of adults believe hard candy can have a detrimental effect on their teeth and/or cause dental injuries. However, a significantly lower percentage of adults believe popcorn (44%) and nuts (37%) can pose similar dental problems. When asked if they have experienced a chipped tooth from eating hard food such as candy, nuts, or popcorn, 49% of adults indicated they had, and it caused them concern about the health of their teeth.
About the AAE Survey
The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) commissioned Atomik Research, a research agency, to conduct an online survey of 1,019 adults throughout the United States. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points with a confidence level of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between February 19 and February 27, 2025.
About the American Association of Endodontists
The American Association of Endodontists is a dental specialty organization recognized by the American Dental Association and a global resource for knowledge, research, and education for the profession, members, and the public. Representing more than 8,000 members worldwide, endodontists are specialists in saving teeth and have additional training and use specialized techniques and technologies to perform root canal treatment and diagnose and treat tooth pain. Patients can find an endodontist in their area by visiting the AAE website at Find My Endodontist – American Association of Endodontists.
