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Disparities in Oral Health
Oral health disparities are profound in the United States. Despite major improvements in oral health for the population as a whole, oral health disparities exist for many racial and ethnic groups, by socioeconomic status, gender, age and geographic location Some social factors that can contribute to these differences are lifestyle behaviors such as tobacco use, frequency of alcohol use, and poor dietary choices. Just like they affect general health, these behaviors can affect oral. The economic factors that often relate to poor oral health include access to health services and an individual’s ability to get and keep dental insurance. Disparities in Oral HealthSome of the oral health disparities that exist include the following:
Healthy People 2010 Works to Eliminate Oral Health DisparitiesHealthy People 2010 is the nation’s framework to improve the health of all Americans. The overarching goals of Healthy People 2010 are to increase quality and years of healthy life and eliminate health disparities. Interventions such as community water fluoridation and school-based dental sealant programs can help achieve this goal. Community water fluoridation reduces and aids in preventing tooth decay among different socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups. Currently, this Healthy People 2010 objective is moving toward its target of 75% of community water having fluoride. School-based dental sealant programs provide sealants to children who may not receive routine dental care. This includes children at highest risk for tooth decay: those from low-income families and certain racial and ethnic groups. Sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the tiny grooves on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. The most recent Healthy People 2010 progress review indicates that progress is being made among many of the oral health objectives. The final Healthy People 2010 review is scheduled for December 2010 and will include updated statistics for the majority of the oral health objectives. Visit the following Web sites for more information on oral health disparities:
Related LinksHealthy
People 2010: Oral Health Objectives
* Links to non-Federal organizations are
provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an
endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none
should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual
organization Web pages found at this link. Date last reviewed:
April 9, 2009
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