HC4.B Oral Health: Percentage of children ages 2–17 with untreated dental caries (cavities) by age, poverty status, and race and Hispanic origin, 1999–2002 and 2003

HC4.B Oral Health: Percentage of children ages 2–17 with untreated dental caries (cavities) by age, poverty status, and race and Hispanic origin, 1999–2002 and 2003–2004

Characteristic	1999–2002	2003–2004
Ages 2–17
Total^a	21.3	25.0
Poverty status
Below 100% poverty	32.4	32.4
100–199% poverty	27.0	36.3
200% poverty or above	12.7	16.6
Race and Hispanic origin^b
White, non-Hispanic	17.8	21.3
Black, non-Hispanic	27.4	26.7
Mexican American	32.2	34.1
Ages 2–5
Total^a	19.3	23.4
Poverty status
Below 100% poverty	31.8	29.1
100–199% poverty	20.1	29.2
200% poverty or above	11.0	17.6
Race and Hispanic origin^b
White, non-Hispanic	16.9	17.1
Black, non-Hispanic	24.1	25.0
Mexican American	31.4	30.8
Ages 6–17
Total^a	12.1	14.0
Poverty status
Below 100% poverty	18.2	21.4
100–199% poverty	16.8	19.8
200% poverty or above	6.8	8.2
Race and Hispanic origin^b
White, non-Hispanic	9.2	11.7
Black, non-Hispanic	15.8	15.8
Mexican American	18.7	19.5
^a Totals include data for racial/ethnic groups not shown separately.
^b From 1999 to 2004, the revised 1997 OMB standards for data on race and ethnicity were used. Persons could select one or more of five racial groups: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected separately, but are combined for reporting. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) sample was designed to provide estimates specifically for persons of Mexican origin and not for all persons of Hispanic origin.
NOTE: Children ages 2–5 had at least one primary tooth with untreated decay. Children ages 6–17 had at least one permanent tooth with untreated decay. Children ages 2–17 had at least one primary or permanent tooth with untreated decay. Thus, estimates for children ages 2–17 may be higher than estimates for children ages 2–5 and ages 6–17 combined.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.