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- During 1988-94, non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American
adolescents were twice as likely as non-Hispanic white adolescents
to have at least one untreated caries lesion. (Source: National
Center for Health Statistics, Health, United States, 2000,
with Adolescent Health Chart).
- Social, economic, and cultural factors and changing population
demographics affect how health services are delivered and
used, and how people care for themselves. Reducing disparities
requires wide-ranging approaches that target populations
at highest risk for specific oral diseases and involves improving
access to existing care. (Source: Surgeon
General's Report on Oral Health)
- Disparities for various oral conditions may relate to income,
age, sex, race or ethnicity, or medical status. (Source: Surgeon
General's Report on Oral Health)
- Although common dental diseases are preventable, not all
members of society are informed about or able to avail themselves
of appropriate oral health- promoting measures. (Source: Surgeon
General's Report on Oral Health)
- Not all health providers may be aware of the services
needed to improve oral health. (Source: Surgeon
General's Report on Oral Health)
- Mouth and throat cancers are the sixth most common cancers
in U.S. males and the fourth most common in African American
men. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Oral
Health 2000)
- Proven preventive measures, such as water fluoridation,
dental sealants, and smoking prevention and cessation programs,
can markedly reduce oral and dental diseases, yet they are
often unavailable to those who need them most. (Source: Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, Oral
Health 2000)
- Among low-income children, almost 50% of tooth decay remains
untreated and can cause pain, dysfunction, underweight, and
poor appearance - problems that greatly reduce a child's
capacity to succeed. (Source: Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, Oral
Health 2000)
Excerpt from the Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health
"
More information is needed to improve America's oral health
and eliminate health disparities. We do not have adequate data
on health, disease, and health practices and care use for the
US population as a whole and its diverse segments, including
racial and ethnic minorities, rural populations, individuals
with disabilities, the homeless, immigrants, migrant workers,
the very young, and the frail elderly. Nor are there sufficient
data that explore health issues in relation to sex or sexual
orientation. Data on state and local populations, essential
for program planning and evaluation, are rare or unavailable
and reflect the limited capacity of the US health infrastructure
for oral health. Health services research, which could provide
much needed information on the cost, cost-effectiveness, and
outcomes of treatment, is also sorely lacking. Finally, measurement
of disease and health outcomes is needed. Although progress
has been made in measuring oral-health-related quality of life,
more needs to be done, and measures of oral health per se do
not exist."
Additional Resources
Surgeon
General's Report on Oral Health ( En
Español )
The National Institute for
Dental and Craniofacial Research
An initiative to eliminate
disparities in access to oral health care and improve oral health
Health Resources and Services Administration and Health Care
Financing Administration , U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion, Division of
Oral Health
MS F-10
4770 Buford Highway, NE
Atlanta, GA 30341
1-888-CDC-2306
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