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Overview
New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) generally showed improvement in important oral health indicators of the U.S. population in the past ten years. However, one notable change is an increase in the percentage of children aged 2 to 5 years with dental caries, from 24 percent in 1988-1994 to 28 percent in 1999–2004. This increase in caries prevalence in primary teeth was presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Public Health Dentistry. The report, available online from the CDC National Center for Health Statistics  ,1 has received widespread media coverage, including stories from USA Today ,2 Reuters ,3 WebMD ,4 the Associated Press ,5 and HealthDay News .6
The CDC study presents national estimates for a range of oral health measures—dental caries, periodontal health, tooth retention, the use of dental sealants, and other measures—in a representative sample of the U.S. population aged 2 years and older. The authors analyzed data from two reporting periods of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), covering 1988–1994 and 1999–2004, to evaluate trends in oral health status in representative subgroups, including minorities and the underserved. For the oral health component of NHANES 1999–2004, over 25,000 participants received dental examinations with assessments of tooth count, dental caries, periodontal status and other measures.
Apart from the increase in early childhood caries, the study identified several oral health improvements for most Americans between 1988–1994 and 1999–2004. Some principal findings include:
- Across all age groups, dental caries continues to decrease in permanent dentition.
- Among adolescents, caries prevalence fell from 68 percent to 59 percent, and root caries incidence was lower among seniors.
- Dental sealant prevalence increased among youths and adolescents, rising from 22 percent to 30 percent for children, and up to 38 percent for teenagers.
- Levels of adult edentulism and moderate to severe periodontitis continued to decline. Estimates of moderate to severe periodontal disease also decreased among adults between 20 to 64 years of age.
In reviewing progress toward achieving the oral health goals of Healthy People 2010 , the study authors identified several disparities related to race, ethnicity and income level. As with previous NHANES reports, Mexican-American and non-Hispanic black children between 2 to 11 years of age are more susceptible to dental caries in primary teeth than non-Hispanic white children. For children in this same age category, caries prevalence increases if they are from families that fall below the U.S. poverty line. Full edentulism is also considerably higher among adults with lower-income levels.
The study findings underscore the importance of caries prevention and oral health care in patients of all age groups, especially preschool-aged children. As explained in the CDC study, dental caries is still the most prevalent chronic infectious disease in children. Appropriate public health interventions and prevention measures, such as health education, community water fluoridation, and dental sealants, are also recommended for patients of all ages and sociodemographic categories.
Dentists are encouraged to provide appropriate oral health education to parents, caregivers and children. Parents can also protect the dental health of young children by promoting a healthy diet, monitoring their intake of food and drink, and by not putting children to bed with a bottle or sippy cup. The ADA recommends that children receive their first dental visit within six months of eruption of the first tooth and no later than 12 months of age. The ADA will continue to promote public awareness of oral disease disparities and of dentally underserved populations, and will work with appropriate stakeholders to improve access to care in critical areas.
Footnotes
1Dye BA, Tan S, Smith V, Lewis BG et al. Trends in oral health status: United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2004. Series 11, Number 248. 104 pp. (PHS) 2007-1698. Preliminary Report. Available at: “http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_11/sr11_248.pdf ”. Accessed May 2, 2007.
2 Hellmich N. More tots getting cavities in baby teeth. USA Today, April 30, 2007. Available at: “http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-04-30-tooth_N.htm ”. Accessed May 1, 2007.
3 Dunham W. Tooth decay seen increasing for young children. Available at: “http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN3042961520070501 ”. Accessed May 1, 2007.
4 Hitti M. Baby teeth cavities on the rise. WebMD, April 30, 2007. Available at: “http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/news/20070430/baby-teeth-cavities-on-the-rise ”. Accessed May 1, 2007.
5 Study: Cavities increasing in baby teeth. Associated Press, April 30, 2007. Available at: “http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/04/30/dental.health.ap/index.html “. Accessed May 2, 2007.
6 Reinberg S. More young children suffering from tooth decay. HealthDay News, April 30, 2007. Available at: “ http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=604163 “. Accessed May 2, 2007.
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Science in the News is a service by the American Dental Association (ADA) to present current information about science topics in the news. The ADA is a professional association of dentists committed to the public's oral health, ethics, science and professional advancement; leading a unified profession through initiatives in advocacy, education, research and the development of standards. As a science-based organization, the ADA's evaluation of the scientific evidence may change as more information becomes available. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Page Posted May 2007
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