A new report finds that tooth decay in American children is causing concern for dentists across the country.
According to the report, the rate of tooth decay in US kids between 2 and 5 years of age has increased from 24% to 28% from 1988 to 2004, however overall Americans are taking better care of their teeth than ever before.
Today parents are giving kids more processed snack foods than in the past, and more bottled water, juice boxes, and soda, instead of fluoridated tap water. This proves to be the major cause of Tooth decay.
The report finds that certain ethnic groups experience more tooth decay than others, according to Dr. Bruce A. Dye, the lead author of the report.
He stated —
This report shows that while we are continuing to make strides in prevention of tooth decay, this disease clearly remains a problem for some racial and ethnic groups, many of whom have more treated and untreated tooth decay compared with other groups.
There are also positives found in the report. Older children have fewer cavities and adults have less periodontal disease than in the past, and more of the elderly are retaining their teeth.
Dr. Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentistry spokeswoman for the American Dental Association, states — that the amount of tooth decay seen in US children is directly related to the increased amount of junk food that children are eating.
Baby teeth naturally fall out as children age, but dentists say untreated decay can spread and is too dangerous to go untreated.
Parents must help their young children brush properly.
The results were reported at a meeting of the American Association for Public Health Dentistry in Denver on Monday.
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