More Young Children Suffering From Tooth Decay

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Dr. Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentistry spokeswoman for the American Dental Association, called the increase in childhood cavities "discouraging." She noted that children are snacking more, particularly sweet snacks, which increase the risk for tooth decay.

Also, young children can't effectively brush their teeth, Hayes said. "I see parents who are still surprised that if their child is two, three or four, that they have to brush their child's teeth in order to do a proper job," she said. "A young child does not have the fine motor skills to clean their teeth. They can put the toothbrush into their mouth, but they don't clean off the plaque."

And, even though baby teeth are replaced by permanent teeth, it is important to keep them clean and cavity-free, Hayes said. "The baby teeth are the pattern for the permanent teeth," she said. "Studies have shown that if you have a lot of decayed baby teeth, and you leave it that way, that's the kind of mouth for permanent teeth you are going to have. The baby teeth set up the bite you are going to have with the permanent teeth."

Hayes said parents and politicians need to put more emphasis on dental health. "We need to get policymakers not to diminish the value of dentistry relative to health," she said. "Medical care, especially for the disadvantaged, does not mean no teeth. The teeth are part of the body, we all go together -- the teeth come with the body."

Among other findings in the report:

• Tooth decay in permanent teeth of children ages 6 to 11 decreased from about 25 percent to 21 percent, and among teens it decreased from 68 percent to 59 percent.
• The use of dental sealants increased from 22 percent to 30 percent among children and from 18 percent to 38 percent among teens.
• Moderate and severe gum disease declined from 10 percent to 5 percent among adults 20 to 64 years old, and from 27 percent to 17 percent among seniors.
• For seniors, complete tooth loss decreased from 34 percent to 27 percent.
• Sixty percent of adults reported seeing a dentist in the past year (1999-2004), compared with 66 percent during the previous survey (1988-94).

More information

To learn more about children's dental health, visit the U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.