DENTAL STATISTICS

Dental Caries Statistics

Dental caries has been described as the single most common chronic childhood disease [DHHS]. In 2011-2012, approximately 37% of U.S. children aged 2-8 years experienced dental caries in primary teeth while 21% of children aged 6-11 and 58% of adolescents aged 12-19 experienced dental caries in permanent teeth [Dye, NCHS brief 191]. The impact of dental caries accumulates over time; of those 20-64 years of age, 91% had caries experience (treated or untreated decay) [Dye, NCHS brief 197]. The prevalence of dental caries experience is generally higher in low-income and minority populations, representing a significant health disparity.

Disparities in Access to Dental Care

​Oral health disparities are profound in the United States. Children in lower-income families have higher dental caries rates than non-poor children; minority populations have worse oral health than the population in general; and rural residents have worse oral health than urban residents [DHHS]. These disparities start in childhood and persist throughout the lifecycle. Limited or infrequent access to dental care contributes to poor oral health. Unfortunately, in the U.S. about 46% of children aged 2-17 years did not visit a dentist in 2013, with black (53%) and Hispanic children (51%) more likely to not have visited a dentist compared with white children (41%) [AHRQ]. For adults 18 years and older, 35% report having no dental visit within the past year, with substantial disparities by education, income and race/ethnicity. For those with an annual income less than $15,000, 57% had no dental visit compared with 20% of those with an income of $50,000 or more [CDC, 2012 BRFSS]. 

Research Regarding Oral Health of MS Children

One of the primary indicators of dental decay for children is low socioeconomic status. Approximately one (1) in five (5) Mississippians lives in poverty, and of this 20% of the population, over one-third (38%) are children ages 17 and younger. Therefore, a high percentage of Mississippi population is in a high-risk group for dental decay.The research stats below were compiled by the US Department of Health and Human Services between 2000 and 2003.
  • Tooth decay (dental carries) is the single most common chronic childhood disease.
  • Approximately 1 in 5 preschoolers, half of 2nd graders, and 80% of 17-year-olds have at least one (1) cavity or filling.
  • A child suffering from dental pain may have difficulty with school attendance, affecting their mental and social well-being.
  • Children living in poverty suffer two times the tooth decay and pain as their more affluent peers.
  • A child living in poverty is one-half as likely to obtain a dental visit as their affluent peers.
  • One in Four (25%) children living in poverty have not seen a dentist before entering kindergarten.
  • African American children have a much higher proportion (67.4%) of untreated dental caries than white children (37.3%).
  • Only about 1 in 5 children enrolled in Medicaid received a single dental visit per year.
  • For every child without medical coverage, there are 2.6 children without dental coverage.

In an earlier study, Ilberman, Mosca, Eklund & Stilley (2001) conducted oral health assessments on a sample of 5,227 third graders, representing 74 public schools in Mississippi. Results of the research are included below:
  • Almost 3 in 4 children (70%) exhibited caries experiences (tooth decay).
  • 15% were in urgent need of dental care.
  • African American children had one-half the number of sealants as white children.
  • Children without sealants had 3 times the need for urgent care than children with sealants.
  • Children with more than one sealant had less need for dental care.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) survey of third grade children in 2004-2005 found that:
  • 69% of third-grade children had experience with tooth decay
  • 39% had untreated tooth decay (cavities)
  • 26% had preventive dental sealants on permanent molar teeth
  • 10% needed urgent dental care

During the 2007-2008 school year, children ages 3-6 years in 22 randomly selected Head Start centers in Mississippi received an oral health screening by one of seven trained screeners. Of the 2,605 children enrolled at the 22 centers, a total of 2,128 children were screened.
Key Findings:
Dental decay is a significant health problem for Mississippi’s Head Start children.
  • 56 percent of children had cavities and/or fillings (caries experience)
  • 41 percent had untreated cavities (dental decay)
  • 7 percent of children need urgent treatment due to pain or discomfort, swollen tissue or inability to eat 

As the most widespread, chronic, and preventable childhood disease, dental caries (tooth decay) is costly to children, families, and the state. In addition, poor oral health in young children, if untreated, sets the stage for a lifetime of negative health outcomes. Clearly, continued support for efforts to increase dental care access and caries prevention in Mississippi with programs such as the MHS Mobile Dental Program are necessary to improve the oral health of our children and to positively affect both the health and educational outcomes of Mississippi's youth. 

Additional Statistics

  • Only 25% of Medicaid-eligible children get any kind of dental care. [Dr. Frank Catalanotto, University of Florida College of Dentistry]
  • Many children with public insurance are not making it to the dentist. Only 52% of children in Medical Assistance and two-thirds of those with SCHIP went to the dentist in the last year. [Pennsylvania Insurance Department ]
  • More than 47 million people have limited access to dental care. [PBS Newshour]
  • 16 million low-income children on Medicaid have not seen a dental-care professional in the last year. [ABC World News]
  • Only 45% of Americans age 2 and older saw a dental provider in the past year. [The Hill]
  • Only 20% of the nation’s practicing dental-care professionals provide care to people with Medicaid, and a small percentage devote a significant amount of their practice to the underserved. [KARN Newsradio]

CDC Expert Work Group Publishes Updated Recommendations for School-Based Sealant Programs

"Preventing Dental Caries Through School-Based Sealant Programs: Updated Recommendations and Review of Evidence," Journal of the American Dental Association, November 2009, provides guidance to school-based sealant programs. The recommendations were developed by a work group of experts in the fields of caries prevention and treatment, oral epidemiology, and evidence-based reviews. The work group also included representatives from professional dental organizations.
The expert work group examined new evidence on:
  • The effectiveness of sealants in preventing new decay and progression of early decay
  • Methods to assess decay
  • Sealant placement techniques
  • Scientific reviews of program practices
Based on evidence, the following recommendations are provided for practitioners in school-based programs:
  • Seal pit-and-fissure tooth surfaces that are sound or have early decay, prioritizing first and second permanent molars.
  • Use visual assessment to differentiate surfaces with the earliest signs of tooth decay from more advanced lesions.
  • X-rays are not needed solely for sealant placement.
  • A toothbrush can be used to help clean the tooth surface before acid etching.
  • When resources allow, have an assistant help the dental professional place sealants.
  • Provide sealants to children even if follow-up examinations for every child cannot be guaranteed.
These recommendations are designed to guide practices of state and community public health programs for planning, implementing, and evaluating school-based sealant programs, as well as to complement the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs' evidence-based clinical recommendations for sealant use published in 2008.
Several other publications provide more detail about the studies that were conducted by work group members. The published studies are provided below.Additional Resources:
  • Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General. This U.S. Surgeon General's report was the first to focus on oral health provides an overview on effectiveness of sealants and public health strategies to provide sealants to children in community settings.
  • Sealant Efficiency Assessment for Locals and States (SEALS) is a tool that states and communities can use to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of their school-based or school-linked sealant programs.
  • Seal America: The Prevention Invention is an online manual designed to assist health professionals initiate and implement a school-based dental sealant program.
  • School-Based Dental Sealant Programs in Ohio. A five-part, distance-learning course provided to further understanding of the history, operations, and underlying principles of Ohio's school-based dental sealant programs. Available at: http://ohiodentalclinics.com/curricula/sealant/index.html

Providing Dental Sealants in Schools (Illinois: Myth & Facts)

The following message and flyer were distributed in Illinois by the Illinois State Department of Health. Even though the flyer comes from another state, it gives myths and facts that apply to our program here in Mississippi as well. It starts by saying "Insist on dental sealants – proven to prevent dental decay! Dental sealants are plastic coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of molars that prevent dental decay. When combined with appropriate use of fluorides, dental sealants can virtually eradicate dental decay, the most prevalent dental disease!" Please take a look at the myths and facts on the flyer below.
providing_dental_services_in_schools-ill.pdf
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