| Demographic Group: | Resident persons aged >18 years who ever visited a dentist or dental clinic and have not had all teeth removed because of tooth decay or gum disease. |
| Numerator: | Respondents aged >=18 years who ever visited a dentist or dental clinic and have not had all teeth removed because of tooth decay or gum disease and report having had their teeth cleaned in the previous year. |
| Denominator: | Respondents aged >=18 years who ever visited a dentist or dental clinic and have not had all teeth removed because of tooth decay or gum disease (excluding unknowns and refusals). |
| Measures of Frequency: | Annual prevalence — crude and age-adjusted (standardized by the direct method to the year 2000 standard U.S. population, distribution 9*) — with 95% confidence interval. |
| Time Period of Case Definition: | Previous year. |
| Background: | In 2002, approximately 69% of adults reported having had their teeth cleaned in the past year. |
| Significance: | Having teeth cleaned by a dentist or dental hygienist has been demonstrated to prevent or delay the progression of periodontal diseases. |
| Limitations of Indicator: | Indicator does not convey reason for cleaning or whether complete dental care was actually received. |
| Data Resources: | Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
http://www.cdc.gov/nohss/ |
| Limitations of Data Resources: | As with all self-reported sample surveys, BRFSS data might be subject to systematic error resulting from noncoverage (e.g., lower telephone coverage among populations of low socioeconomic status), nonresponse (e.g., refusal to participate in the survey or to answer specific questions), or measurement (e.g., social desirability or recall bias). |
| Healthy People 2010 Objectives: | No objective. |
