Dental sealants in adolescent’s teeth have increased from the early 1970s until the latest (1999-2004) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In spite of this improvement, significant disparities remain in some population groups.
Table 1 presents sealant prevalence for adolescents aged 12–19 years and for selected subgroups.
Prevalence (Table 1)
- 38% of adolescents 12 to 19 have dental sealants.
- Older adolescents, Black and Hispanic adolescents, and those living in families with lower incomes have fewer sealants.
Table 1: Adolescents, Percent with Sealants in Permanent Teeth
Prevalence of sealants in permanent teeth among youths 12–19 years of age, by selected characteristics:
United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004
Characteristic
|
Percent of adolescents with dental sealants |
Age |
|
12 to 15 years |
41.04 |
16 to 19 years |
34.28 |
|
|
Sex |
|
Male |
36.43 |
Female |
38.93 |
|
|
Race and Ethnicity |
|
White, non-Hispanic |
43.90 |
Black, non-Hispanic |
25.68 |
Mexican American |
27.23 |
|
|
Poverty Status (Income compared to Federal Poverty Level) |
|
Less than 100% |
28.76 |
100% to 199% |
30.64 |
Greater than 200% |
45.45 |
|
|
Overall |
37.65 |
Data Source: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has been an important source of information on oral health and dental care in the United States since the early 1970s. Tables 1 through 4 present the latest NHANES (collected between 1999 and 2004) data regarding dental sealants in adolescents.