County is putting teeth into oral health efforts
Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Washington recently released its 2005 Smile Survey results, which gauges the oral health of children in the state.
The news for the state as a whole is not good – the rate of tooth decay in children is higher today than in the past 12 years. The results in Snohomish County are better, showing some improvement:
* Only 56.3 percent of the county’s children have tooth decay, compared to the state’s 59 percent.
* Snohomish County has reduced untreated tooth decay by 25 percent since 2000 – from 25.9 percent to 19.8 percent in 2005.
* The need for emergency care has declined since 2000, from 4.6 percent to 2.2 percent.
The Snohomish County Health District also outlines where the county needs improvement:
* The percentage of kids with cavities, at 56.3 percent, is greater than the goal of 42 percent.
* As with the rest of the state, significant disparities exist here in oral health and oral health care for children from low-income families, children of color and children who do not speak English. These children are more likely to experience dental disease.
* The county’s and state’s sealant utilization is declining. In 2005, the county had 54.9 percent utilization for needy third graders, down from 70.2 percent in 2000. The state number dropped from 55.5 percent to 50.3 percent.
While progress is needed, these numbers indicate that the county is on track. The Snohomish Health District credits the fact that the county has a large number of dentists (315 family practice, 116 specialists) and fluoridated water in helping achieve better numbers than other areas of the state. The district also:
* Has an ongoing oral health program and provides community education for the public and professions.
* Recently held its fourth Oral Health Summit to bring a community effort to solve shared problems and find new directions for improving oral health.
* Offers school-based dental sealant programs for high-risk children.
This work is so important because often people don’t consider tooth decay to be a serious problem. But left untreated, tooth decay can lead to many health problems, including pain, difficulty speaking, chewing and swallowing, increased health care costs, loss of self-esteem, and lost work and school days. According to state health officer Dr. Maxine Hayes, tooth decay is the single most chronic disease in children, five times more common than asthma.
It’s in everyone’s interest to support the health district’s oral health efforts, in whatever way possible. These are our neediest children. When they are healthy, we can all smile.
