National Dental Stats

   The dental health of Americans is measured and tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). Recently (August, 2005) the CDC and NIH reported that there has been an overall improvement in the oral health of Americans over the past decade. Compared to 1994, there is less tooth decay tooth decay and an increased use of dental sealants (a thin plastic coating applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth to prevent decay) among children and adolescents. There is also less tooth decay and more tooth retention among older adults.

Despite these improvements, there are disparities. There is a higher incidence of untreated decay in the primary teeth of Mexican-American and non-Hispanic black children compared to non-Hispanic white children. Additionally, there is twice as much untreated tooth decay in lower income adults compared to higher income adults. In a 2005 report Oral Health: Preventing Cavities, Gum Disease, and Tooth Loss, Surgeon General Richard Carmona stated that oral diseases, which cause pain and disability for millions of Americans, can almost all be prevented.(CDC - Oral Health: Preventing Cavities, Gum Disease, and Tooth Loss)

The Surgeon General reported that tooth decay is still a problem for most U.S. children, and low-income children are hardest hit: about one-third have untreated decay. Untreated cavities cause pain, eating and behavioral problems, and impede learning in school - problems that can greatly reduce a child's capacity to succeed in life.

Tooth decay is also a problem for 95% of U.S. adults, especially for the increasing number of older adults who have retained most of their teeth. Yet one fourth of adults over age 60 have lost all of their teeth because of tooth decay and advanced gum disease. Tooth loss in adults has more than cosmetic effects - by limiting the types of food that a person can eat, it can lead to nutrition problems and poor health.

The CDC issued a fact sheet in June 2003 titled A National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health. (CDC - A National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health) The goals of the Call to Action are to promote oral health, improve quality of life, and eliminate oral health disparities in the U.S. The report stressed the need for special efforts made to reduce the health disparities that affect members of certain racial and ethnic groups, and people who are poor, geographically isolated, or vulnerable because of special oral health care needs. The Call to Action specified the need to change perceptions of oral health, so that Americans understand that oral health is essential to general health and well-being. It also strongly recommended increasing the oral health workforce diversity and flexibility by attracting members of under-represented racial and ethnic groups to careers in oral health.

The CDC, in an effort to facilitate the development of Oral Health Plans for each state, identified those states that currently have State Oral Health Plans. As of February 2006, only 15 states had developed a State Oral Health Plan. As stated on the CDC web site (CDC - State Oral Health Plans) it is hoped that sharing this information will assist other states with the plan development process.