Key findings
Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2008
- More than one in five people had untreated dental caries and 75% had existing dental restorations.
- Prevalence of untreated dental caries varied significantly by poverty level for all age groups; however, there was little difference in dental restoration prevalence by poverty level for children and adolescents aged 5–19 years.
- Twenty-seven percent of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years had at least one dental sealant.
- Nearly 38% of non-Hispanic black adults had not lost a permanent tooth compared with 51% for non-Hispanic white and 52% for Mexican-American persons.
- Almost 23% of adults aged 65 and over were edentulous.
Read full report: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db96.htm