Low income children miss out on dental care | Voices of Central Pa:

"Tooth decay affects 48 percent of Pennsylvania children by the age of eight, even those who drink fluoridated water, according to the [Pennsylvania] Department of Public Welfare. By age 15, this increases to 50 percent. Thirty-three percent of low-income children have untreated tooth decay compared to only 10 percent of children in higher-income households.

Good dental health involves many factors, including diet and good brushing habits, but children also need to see a dentist regularly. American children routinely develop cavities and tooth mottling (fluorosis) [from too much fluoride]."

"In his practice Kelly said he commonly sees two-year olds with an average of 10 decayed teeth. Tooth decay in this age group is caused mostly by the sugars in soft drinks, juices and juice boxes, and by allowing children to go to bed with bottles."

Community Briefs: Jan. 30

Community Briefs: Jan. 30:

After 65 years of water fluoridation in the U.S., 55 years of fluoridated toothpaste and a virtually 100% fluoridated food and beverage supply with up to 48% of US school children sporting fluoride overdose symptms (discolored teeth):

"52 percent of 6- to 8-year-olds have tooth decay, however due to lack of access to care these children go untreated."

Study finds tooth decay on the rise - WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |

Study finds tooth decay on the rise - WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |:

"The Center for Disease Control says pediatric cavities were at an all time low in the mid nineties, with 24% of kids ages 2 to 5 having at least one. New studies say that number is on the rise."

ADA.org: ADA News: ViewPoint

ADA.org: ADA News: ViewPoint:

"As of July 1, more than 650,000 General Motors and Chrysler United Auto Workers retirees and their dependents in Michigan have lost their dental insurance. They thus joined the ranks of their GM and Chrysler salaried counterparts who previously lost their insurance. I am sure many of you are already feeling the effects of the loss of insurance in your practices. Patients are canceling their recall appointments, procedures are being delayed and patients are leaving practices," writes Jeffery W. Johnson, DDS, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

"Now, we have the opportunity to practice without the limitations of dental insurance," writes Johnson.

"All the things we previously loved to complain about—such as interference in our treatment recommendations, limitations in the frequency of doing needed procedures and having to ask "permission" to practice as honest professionals—are now gone. We no longer have to wait to be paid for our services and we no longer will have to listen to patient complaints pointed at us because their insurance wouldn’t pay for a procedure," writes Johnson,

From ADA News 1/27/2010

"Dr. Donald W. Marianos, a public health consultant, said that prevention of early childhood caries in this specific population [Native-American] has seen very limited or no improvement over the past 30 years, despite implementation of community water system fluoridation, fluoride rinses, dental sealants and oral health education."

"According to statistics presented at the symposium, ECC prevalence is about 400 percent higher in AI/AN children than for all U.S. races. In addition, ECC is often much more aggressive and destructive in AI/AN children. In some AI/AN communities, up to 50 percent of the children have such severe caries that they require full mouth restoration under general anesthesia—a rate about 50–100 times that in all other U.S. races. Severe ECC often leads to a lifetime of oral health problems."

Dental foundation takes aim at kids' poor oral health - baltimoresun.com

Maryland is 94% fluoridated:

"More than a third of the state's kindergartners and third graders in 2006 had untreated tooth decay, according to the foundation. And, in 2007, more than 70 percent of children in the state's Medicaid program had never seen a dentist."

Local event highlights children’s need for dental care - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Local event highlights children’s need for dental care:

Wisconsin is 93% fluoridated:

"'It's heartbreaking to see a child's smile destroyed by severe tooth decay,' says Dr. Green. 'Imagine not being able to eat, sleep and pay attention in school because you have a mouthful of toothaches. Some children have reached the point where the only alternative is a mouth full of crowns or pulling the teeth that can't be saved. It's tragic. Our state needs to do more to help children get the dental care they need.'"

Health Behavior News Service - Research News Archives

Health Behavior News Service - Research News Archives:

"Toothpastes with lower fluoride levels — in the 440 to 550 range — give results that are no better than the results seen with toothpaste that does not contain fluoride, Worthington and Glenny said.

...

However, fluoride has a downside. Toothpastes with concentrations greater than 1,000 parts per million of fluoride increase the risks of fluorosis — a condition that can cause white streaks and spots or stained teeth — especially when they are used by children under the age of 5 or 6 years. "

Fluoride furore

Australia Protests Against Fluoridation

Fluoride furore: "Also in the crowd was Dr Andrew Harms, former state president of the Australian Dental Association (ADA) — who stepped onto a block of limestone symbolising what protestors claim is the environmental damage fluoride could do to the environment — to deliver his speech to the crowd.

Dr Harms, who once supported the addition of fluoride to drinking water, but said he later resigned from the ADA when he found evidence that fluoride was a poison which caused illnesses such as rheumatism, expressed his disappointment at government officials’ lack of interest in listening to the people."

"One out of four children have tooth decay. Fifty percent of them aren't treated," said Dr. Maria Georgaklis, a pediatric dentist who works at Cleveland Circle Dental Associates [in Brookline, MA, where the water is fluoridated].

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/22266008/detail.html

The History of Fluoride, A century of neurological breakdown

Kids' tooth decay epidemic forces parents to pay thousands Toddlers' teeth rotten before pre-school

In Australia where 75% of the water supplies are fluoridated, "Half of kids have untreated tooth decay

'It would be called an epidemic'

TODDLERS as young as 18 months are being forced to undergo thousands of dollars worth of dental work as tooth decay reaches "epidemic" proportions."

http://www.news.com.au/national/kids-tooth-decay-epidemic-forces-parents-to-pay-thousands/story-e6frfkvr-1225817515115