Number Of Children Without Cavities Doubles In Two Decades

Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) Study

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CHICAGO, March 11, 1996. The number of school-aged children without cavities in their permanent teeth has doubled in the past two decades, according to a study published in the March Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).

The researchers concluded that cavities are still a problem that affect millions of U.S. children and adolescents, and that if these children receive regular dental care, including dental sealants on appropriate teeth, additional declines in the cavity rate will likely result.

Researchers at the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) published findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) that estimates dental cavity rates for more than 54 million U.S. children and adolescents aged 2 to 17 years. The data represent the total civilian, non-institutionalized U.S. population.

Researchers from NIDR used baseline data from a study conducted from 1971-74 in which researchers found that 26 percent of children ages 6 to 17 were cavity free in their permanent teeth. In the NHANES III study, scientists found that 55 percent of children ages 5 to 17 had no cavities in their permanent teeth, more than double the rate found in the prior study.

The researchers also discovered that more than 60 percent of the children under age 10 had no cavities in their primary teeth.

One influential trend in the cavity rate decline emerged from the NHANES III research. NIOR researchers found that dental sealant use doubled since the last national survey was conducted, from 7.6 percent of children age 5 to 17 in 1986-87 to 19 percent of children this age in 1988-91. Still, only one in five school-aged children had sealants on any of their permanent teeth.

"These findings indicate a continuing decline in dental caries in the permanent teeth of U.S. children," said the study's lead author, Dr. L. Jackson Brown, director, division of epidemiology and oral disease prevention at NIDR. "However, a similar decline could not be detected in the primary, or baby teeth, of children."

Dr. Brown cited fluoridated water and fluoridated oral health products, a higher rate of dental visits and an improved diet as some of the main reasons why the dental cavity rate has declined in the past 20 years.

CONTACT:Chris Martin of the American Dental Association at 312-440-2806, or martin('at' symbol)ada.org e-mail.