By Katherine Clark
A study done by the Pew Center on the states, The Cost of Delay: State Dental policies fail one in five children, concluded that about two-thirds of states do not have key policies set up to meet the dental needs for children that need it the most.
The Pew Center organized states by the number of benchmark requirements it met, New York State met four out of eight, with a grade of a C.
“In New York 33.7% of children with Medicaid see a dentist, that’s one in every three kids that get to see a dentist annually,” said Laurie Norris, Campaign manager for the Pew trusts.
Poor dental health can lead to a number of problems for children and even follow him or her into adulthood if not treated. In severe cases of untreated dental problems cause children to miss school due to pain, lost days at work, or even death.
In 2007
The eight benchmark policies that the Pew Center has graded states in are procedures that have been proven in practice to be effective and cost efficient.
Where NYS failed to make the grade was State provided fluoridated water. Having fluoridated water is one of the most effective public health services for teeth.
Counteracting tooth decay, fluoridated water would only cost about a $1 invested, communities could save $38 in dental treatments costs according to the Pew Center. To make the grade, 75 percent of all NYS water supply in community systems, not including well water, would have to be fluoridated. In New York only 73 percent of water is fluoridated.
NYS has also failed to provide sealant programs in at least 25 percent of high-risk schools. Sealant, clear, plastic coatings applied by a hygienist or a dentist has been recognized by the Center for Disease Control as one of the best preventative strategies for preventing cavities to children in a low income family.
A study done by the U.S. Surgeon General conducted in 2000.
“New York State conducted a study on third graders and found that 33.1 percent of New York State third graders have untreated cavities, that means that they’re walking around with holes in their teeth and probably in pain,” said Norris.
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The Pew report fails to report the obvious. Are any of these grading measures actually reducing tooth decay & loss
ReplyDeleteIn Kentucky, tooth decay doubled after fluoridation was state-mandated in 1977
South Carolina got an "A" but ranks 31 in tooth loss of those over 65 and ranks 37 in those who have lost 6 or more teeth due to decay or gum disease.
In Connecticut which received an "A," fluoridation is state-mandated. Yet a 2007 survey of Connecticut schoolchildren found that 31% of children in Head Start aged 2-4 have already experienced tooth decay and that 14% of those children had 5 or more teeth decayed or missing from decay. By Kindergarten, more than one in four children have experienced dental decay, 16% of which have untreated decay
In New York State, county data shows that tooth decay is lowest in the NON-fluoridated counties. Nation-wide, tooth loss is highest in the most fluoridated states. http://fluoridation.webs.com/chart.htm
See: http://fluoridation.webs.com/fluoridationfailsnewyork.htm
These uncomfortable facts are being ignored. Rotten diets make rotten teeth. Healthy foods must be subsidized or poor kids fed for free. Fluoridation wastes money.
If the first remedy is too much government for your taste, then fluoridation is even worse because fluoridation doesn't reduce tooth decay but costs cities such as New York City approximately $30 million every year.
There is a solution that the Pew foundation recommended and that the American Dental Association vigorously opposes because it cuts into dentistry's lucrative monopoly - More dental providers: New professionals, similar to nurse practitioners in the medical field, can expand the number of qualified dental providers who can fill the unmet needs of children. A growing number of states are exploring new models that increase the involvement of physicians, hygienists, and new types of dental professionals.