#1 Untreated Disease in�Children - The Blogodontist - Soundentistry

Dental caries (tooth decay) is the number one untreated disease in children.

Each year, 52 million school hours are missed due to dental-related issues. Untreated tooth decay leads to problems with learning, sleeping, eating and growing. Nearly 80 percent of childhood tooth decay occurs in 20 percent of children.

Nationwide, 30 to 50 percent of 4- and 5-year-olds in Head Start already have tooth decay. Surprisingly, the number of children getting cavities is increasing; low-income individuals are disproportionately affected by dental disease and most do not have access to dental care."