Friday, March 10, 2006
An estimated 138,000 kids i.e. 4 percent of elementary school students are in such pain from rotting teeth, abscesses and oral infections they need to see a dentist within 24 hours. Yet many suffer quietly, forgoing treatment because their families lack insurance, don't realize the importance of dental care or can't afford it.
These are among the sobering findings of a statewide survey released today by the Dental Health Foundation. Teams of dentists, hygienists, dental assistants and nurses traveled to schools throughout the state from February to June last year to peer in the mouths of 21,000 kindergartners and third-graders.
"To be honest, we were shocked," said foundation Chairman Dave Perry in an introduction to the report. "While there are children in some high-income schools that have never had a cavity, in other schools there are kids in debilitating, chronic pain in every classroom," he said.Similar surveys were conducted in 24 other states. California had the second-worst record for prevalence of tooth decay, topping only Arkansas. The results were especially disheartening because most dental problems can be prevented with proper care, said Wynne Grossman, executive director of the foundation.
When tooth decay goes untreated, the infected teeth continue to pour pathogens into the child's body. That can lead to repeated infections in the ears, sinuses and other parts of the body. Rotting and painful teeth can also force children to miss school, make it difficult to concentrate and hinder their social life when other children tease them or they are afraid or embarrassed to smile.
Even though baby teeth will be replaced, parents should not ignore them, dentists warn. Decay can make baby teeth fall out sooner than usual, which creates problems because baby teeth hold the space for adult teeth that will emerge underneath them. If the baby teeth are missing, the permanent teeth may come in crooked and crowded, forcing children to endure expensive orthodontia work or a lifetime of twisted teeth.
The county also had higher levels of untreated tooth decay; with nearly a third of its students in that category. The statewide survey found that Latino children have the highest risk of dental health problems, with 72 percent experiencing some decay and 26 percent having rampant decay in seven or more teeth. Those numbers are twice the rate of white children.
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