| "? 21% of children ages 6 to 11 had at least one cavity in their permanent teeth in 1999-2004, down from 25% in 1988-94." "? 59% of adolescents, 12 to 19, had at least one cavity in their adult teeth in the most recent survey, down from 68%" "ATLANTA -- Preschoolers today are more likely to have cavities than children did in the early 1990s, possibly because they are drinking more soda and juice drinks and less milk and water with fluoride, according to the most comprehensive government report on oral health in 25 years." "The percentage of children ages 2 to 5 who have had at least one cavity in their baby teeth was 28% in 1999-2004, up from 24% in 1988-94." "Tooth decay in adults and children had been decreasing since the 1960s, says the report's lead author, Bruce Dye, a dentist and epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. "This is the first time we're seeing a rise, and it's in the baby teeth of young children." ""Baby teeth are just as important as adult teeth," Dye says. "We know from population studies that kids who have cavities in their baby teeth are more likely to have cavities in their adult teeth. And premature loss of baby teeth will more likely create crowding problems for adult teeth."" "The study didn't examine causes for the increase in cavities, but Dye says it may be because of an increase in sweetened beverage consumption and a decrease in the intake of milk and fluorinated water." ""Parents may also be less likely to spend those extra few minutes brushing their young kids' teeth," he says." "Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentist in private practice in Chicago and a spokeswoman for the American Dental Association, advises parents to brush their children's teeth until the kids are old enough to tie their own shoes." "Parents with preschoolers who want to do everything themselves should brush their children's teeth first, then let the kids brush their teeth, she says." "Hayes tells parents
... read the whole article |