If you want to know how the economy is doing, look inside America's mouth

If you want to know how the economy is doing, look inside America's mouth - CNET
"I am here to reveal, therefore, that the future of the American economy is in the hands of dentists. How do I know this? I have data before me that says the state of our mouths is sending us into a little recession.

Provided by business intelligence app Sikka, these numbers say America's economy is getting sicker.

Specifically, 2014 has seen a reduction in the purchase of crowns, veneers and implants from dentists. These are, allegedly, often cash payments and express a measure of the country's prosperity.

This year, dentists haven't managed a June surge in average daily net production. This doesn't augur well. Indeed, our teeth are chattering that there is to be a downturn.

CEO Vijay Sikka says that he's been collating dental data since 2008. He analyzed 12,200 dental practices and believes the results closely correlate with economic performance.

Sikka told me: "This is the first research of its kind to be published in the dental industry. We have an unprecedented ability to see real-time trends and data. What is happening in these providers' practices, with more than 300 million American patients represented, is tied to broader economic trends."