USA - Half of Utah elementary children have had cavities

Half of Utah elementary children have had cavities
By heather may
The Salt Lake Tribune
First published Feb 06 2012 11:28AM
Updated 2 hours ago Updated Feb 6, 2012 11:42PM
The same sugary drinks and sweets that can make children fat are also giving them cavities.
A report released Monday shows more than half of Utah children ages 6 to 9 have had tooth decay, which can lead to pain, infection, problems with eating and difficulty learning.
Even worse, the Utah Department of Health estimates that 2,655 children attended school with pain or infection from extensive decay that required emergency or urgent dental care.
Brushing and flossing and regularly seeing a dentist — as well as limiting sugary snacks — can prevent decay. But not enough children are benefiting from prevention efforts.
"Tooth decay remains the single most common chronic disease," said Steven Steed, the department’s dental director. "It’s preventable. We should be virtually ... cavity free."
The report, issued by the department’s Oral Health Program every five years, shows wide gaps between the dental health of white children and children of color, between non-Latinos and Latinos, and between the insured and uninsured.
Non-Latino children were more likely to have dental insurance, to regularly visit a dentist and to have healthier teeth.
The results are from a 2010 survey of parents of 3,025 children across the state. The department also examined the children’s teeth to determine if they had fillings, if their teeth showed signs of decay and if they had sealants.

Fluoridated Utah