Important Facts for Dental Caries Experience: Children Aged 6-9

Definition

Percentage of 6- to 9-year-old children who have dental caries experience (treated or untreated).

Numerator

Number of 6 to 9-year-old children who participated in the school dental health survey who had dental caries experience (treated or untreated).

Denominator

Number of 6 to 9-year-old children who participated in the school dental health survey.

Why Is This Important?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/disease/dental_caries.html (CDC)] says that dental caries (tooth decay) is '''''largely preventable''''', but it remains the '''''most common chronic disease of children''''' aged 6 to 11 years, and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. '''''Tooth decay is four times more common than asthma''''' among adolescents aged 14 to 17 years. It is also one of the most preventable diseases. Oral health affects a person's overall general health.

Healthy People Objective OH-1.2:

Reduce the proportion of children aged 6 to 9 years with dental caries experience in their primary and permanent teeth
U.S. Target: 49.0 percent

How Are We Doing?

By first grade most children have already experienced dental disease, and by second grade one fifth have obvious untreated decay. In a recent survey of parents of first through forth grade children, one in five (18%) did not have insurance that pays for dental care.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

Utah continues to lag behind the U.S. in the percentage of caries-free children. Utah children have more cavities in part because of the lack of fluoridation in Utah community water systems. In 2014 Utah was 52% fluoridated; while the U.S. in 2014 had 74.4% of the community water systems fluoridated. This is however an improvement, since in 2000 Utah was less than 2% fluoridated.

What Is Being Done?

Community water fluoridation has been implemented in Salt Lake and Davis counties. It is also being implemented in Brigham City and Helper communities.

Health Program Information

For other oral health related reports, click on the Health Topics tab, then click on Dental, then click on the + to the right of Publications.