USA - Rise cited in tooth decay among kids
Rise cited in tooth decay among kids
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE • February 16, 2009
Tooth decay in baby teeth is a real and fast-growing problem in the United States, posing serious health risks that can reach throughout a child's body.
The reason: A child's overall health is closely linked to his or her oral health.
"We've known intuitively that if you're healthy, your mouth is healthy too," says Dr.Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentist in Chicago and spokeswoman for the American Dental Association. "Now we have research that proves that point."
Decay in baby teeth among 2- to 5-year-olds increased from 24 percent to 28 percent from 1988 to 2004, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in every five 3-year-olds now suffers from tooth decay.
A child with bad teeth, even if they're baby teeth, is more apt to suffer infections and inflammation, says Dr. Joel Berg, chairman of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Washington and dental director at Seattle Children's Hospital.
"Not a week goes by that we don't see children admitted with facial swelling and other infections that started with cavities in baby teeth," says Berg, who's also a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. "Children are coming to the emergency room with pain and swelling, and it is preventable."
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE • February 16, 2009
Tooth decay in baby teeth is a real and fast-growing problem in the United States, posing serious health risks that can reach throughout a child's body.
The reason: A child's overall health is closely linked to his or her oral health.
"We've known intuitively that if you're healthy, your mouth is healthy too," says Dr.Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentist in Chicago and spokeswoman for the American Dental Association. "Now we have research that proves that point."
Decay in baby teeth among 2- to 5-year-olds increased from 24 percent to 28 percent from 1988 to 2004, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in every five 3-year-olds now suffers from tooth decay.
A child with bad teeth, even if they're baby teeth, is more apt to suffer infections and inflammation, says Dr. Joel Berg, chairman of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Washington and dental director at Seattle Children's Hospital.
"Not a week goes by that we don't see children admitted with facial swelling and other infections that started with cavities in baby teeth," says Berg, who's also a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. "Children are coming to the emergency room with pain and swelling, and it is preventable."
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