Oral Health, U.S. 2002 Annual Report
Section 1: CARIES
Dental caries is the single most common chronic disease of childhood (Edelstein
& Douglass, 1995; US DHHS, 2000). However, in recent years, dental caries has
declined dramatically among children as a result of various preventive
regimens, including community water fluoridation and increased use of
toothpastes and fluoride rinses (Kaste et al., 1996). Since the 1970s, there
has been a 57.2% decrease in decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) and a
58.8% decrease in decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (DMFS) in permanent
teeth among 6- to 18-year-olds (Brown et al., 2000a). However, despite the
reduction, dental caries remains a significant problem in some populations,
particularly certain racial and ethnic groups, and among poor children.
Untreated dental decay can lead to extensive dental treatment, tooth pain,
abscess, and possible tooth loss (US DHHS, 2000). The percentage of persons
with untreated dental decay varies by poverty status and race/ethnicity. At all
ages, those living below the poverty level were more likely to have untreated
dental decay than those living at or above the poverty level (US DHHS, 2000).
Adult non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans were shown to have a higher
proportion of untreated decay than non-Hispanic whites (US DHHS, 2000; Brown et
al., 2000b).
This section presents the following indicators: untreated dental caries
prevalence among children (ages 2–4 and 6–8 years), adolescents (ages 12–15
years), and adults (ages 35–44 years); dental caries severity among children,
adolescents, and adults; and trends in untreated dental caries prevalence among
children, adolescents, and adults.
REFERENCES
Brown LJ, Wall TP, Lazar V. Trends in untreated caries in primary teeth of
children 2 to 10 years old. J Am Dent Assoc 2000a;131:93–100.
Brown LJ, Wall TP, Lazar V. Trends in total caries experience: permanent and
primary teeth. J Am Dent Assoc 2000b;131(2):223–231.
Edelstein BL, Douglass C. Dispelling the myth that 50 percent of the U.S.
schoolchildren have never had a cavity. Public Health Reports
1995;110(5):522–530.
Kaste LM, Selwitz RH, Oldakowski JA, Winn DM, Brown LJ. Coronal caries in the
primary and permanent dentition of children and adolescents 1-17 years of age:
United States, 1988–1991. J Dent Res 1996;75(Spec Iss):631–641.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America: A Report
of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research,
National Institutes of Health, 2000.
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