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Children Without Cavities: A Growing Trends |
SourcePR NEWSWIREForumsHealth, Safety, Nutrition and KidsRelated ArticlesNumber Of Children Without Cavities Doubles In Two DecadesChild Health Guide: Dental/Oral Health Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Information and news releases furnished by the members of PR Newswire, who are responsible for their fact and content. |
HARRISBURG, Pa., July 3, 1996 -- The Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) reports that a study in March's Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) indicates the number of school-aged children without cavities in their permanent teeth has doubled in the past two decades. The researchers found that cavities are still a problem affecting millions of American children and adolescents, but that if these children receive regular dental care -- including dental sealants on appropriate teeth -- the results will be additional declines in the cavity rate. Researchers at the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) published findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) that estimate dental cavity rates for more than 54 million U.S. children and adolescents between the ages of two and 17. NIDR researchers used baseline data from a study conducted between 1971-74 in which they found that 26 percent of children ages six to 17 were cavity-free in their permanent teeth. In the latest study (NHANES III), scientists found that 55 percent of children between the ages of five and 17 had no cavities in their permanent teeth, more than double the number in the previous study. Researchers also found that more than 60 percent of children under the age of 10 had no cavities in their primary teeth. One major influential trend in this cavity rate decline emerged from the study. NIDR researchers found that dental sealant use has doubled since the last national survey was conducted -- from 7.6 percent of children ages five to 17 in 1986-87 to 19 percent of children in that group in 1988-91. Some of the main reasons why the cavity rate has declined significantly over the last 20 years include fluoridated water and fluoridated oral health products, a higher rate of dental visits and improved diets. The 6300 members of the Pennsylvania Dental Association serve the public by providing preventive and comprehensive dental care. CONTACT: Rob Pugliese, Public Relations Coordinator of the Pennsylvania Dental Association, 717-234-5941 |
