Health Article

American Oral Health: Quick Facts

Safe and effective measures for preventing oral disease are underused. These include water fluoridation, dental sealants, and regular professional care, as well as tobacco cessation.
Tooth decay is one of the most common childhood diseases—5 times as common as asthma and 7 times as common as hay fever in 5-to-17-year-olds.
18% of 2-to-4-year-old children have experienced tooth decay, and 16% have untreated decay.
Only 23% of 8-year-old children have at least one dental sealant on their molar teeth.
By age 17, 78% of young people have had a cavity, and 7% have lost at least one permanent tooth.
Among adults aged 35 to 44 years, 69% lost at least one permanent tooth.
Among adults aged 65 to 74, 26% have lost all their natural teeth.
Untreated tooth decay remains a problem. About one-third of persons across all age groups have untreated decay.
Among adults aged 35 to 44, 48% have gingivitis, and 22% have destructive gum disease. Tobacco use increases the risk of gum disease.
In the U.S., 30,000 people are diagnosed with mouth and throat cancer each year, and 8,000 die of these cancers.
Community water fluoridation reaches over 144 million people, or 62% of Americans on public water supplies. One hundred million Americans do not have fluoridated water.
In 1998, a total of $53.8 billion was spent on dental care—48% paid by dental insurance, 4% by government programs, and 48% paid out-of-pocket.
More than 108 million Americans do not have dental insurance. For every child without medical insurance, there are 2.6 without dental insurance; for every adult without medical insurance, three are without dental insurance.

Source: Centers for Disease Control, www.cdc.gov

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