Science and SurveillanceChanges in the Oral Health of US Children and Adolescents and Dental Public Health Infrastructure Since the Release of the Healthy People 2010 Objectives
Section snippets
Methods
Data for this study were drawn from several national and state sources. National data on dental caries and selected preventive services are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Dental data were collected in 1988–1994 and again in 1999–2004. These data and details on their collection have been published previously,11 so this report presents just a few key findings. State data on dental caries and dental sealants are available from those states that have conducted
Healthy People 2010 Objectives on Oral Health
Table 1 presents the 10 Healthy People 2010 Objectives on Oral Health most relevant to children's oral health, their baseline levels, their target levels, and the most recent estimates available for each. The prevalence of dental caries experience (objective 21-1) and untreated decay (21-8) appear to be moving away from the target for children 8 years of age or younger. The prevalence of dental sealants (21-2) increased for children aged 8 or 14 years, although it remained substantially below
Discussion
Progress toward improving the oral health of America's children and adolescents since the Healthy People 2010 Objectives were released has been mixed. Dental caries in the permanent dentition generally declined between 1988–1994 and 1999–2004, although the largest declines occurred among non-Hispanic whites and among those living above 200% of federal poverty level. This decline in caries is perhaps directly related to the significant increase in the prevalence of dental sealants and the
Acknowledgments
We thank Drs William Maas and Wendy E. Mouradian for their helpful suggestions. We also thank Dr Kathy Phipps for her input on state infrastructure and surveillance activities.
References (23)
- et al.
Update on early childhood caries since the Surgeon General's Report
Acad Pediatr
(2009) - et al.
American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs. Evidence-based clinical recommendations for the use of pit-and-fissure sealants: a report of the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs
J Am Dent Assoc
(2008) - US Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, Md: US...
- McDonagh M, Whiting P, Bradley M, et al. A Systematic Review of Public Water Fluoridation. York, United Kingdom: NHS...
- et al.
Pit and fissure sealants in the prevention of dental caries in children and adolescents: a systematic review
J Can Dent Assoc
(2008) - et al.
Pit and fissure sealants for preventing dental decay in the permanent teeth of children and adolescents
Cochrane Database Syst Rev
(2008) - et al.
Fluoride varnish in the prevention of dental caries in children and adolescents: a systematic review
J Can Dent Assoc
(2008) - et al.
Pit and fissure sealants versus fluoride varnishes for preventing dental decay in children and adolescents
Cochrane Database Syst Rev
(2006) An assessment of the dental public health infrastructure in the United States
J Public Health Dent
(2006)- US Department of Health and Human Services. Oral health. In: Healthy People 2010, With Understanding and Improving...
Trends in oral health status: United States, 1988–1994 and. 1999–2004
Vital Health Stat
Cited by (74)
Dental Caries Risk Assessment in Primary School Children Aged 11 to 12 years: Case of Nyarugenge District, Rwanda
2023, Rwanda Journal of Medicine and Health SciencesVariation in Current Guidelines for Fluoride Varnish Application for Young Children in Medical Settings in the United States
2022, Frontiers in Public HealthPosterior tooth autotransplantation: a case series
2021, Australian Dental JournalFluoride Use in Caries Prevention in the Primary Care Setting
2020, PediatricsOral Health Literacy and Psychosocial Factors and its Relation with the Dental Behavior of Child Carers
2020, Texila International Journal of Public HealthThe extraction of first, second or third permanent molar teeth and its effect on the dentofacial complex
2019, Australian Dental Journal