Disparities in Oral Health

Oral health disparities are profound in the United States. Despite major improvements in oral health for the population as a whole, oral health disparities exist for many racial and ethnic groups, by socioeconomic status, gender, age and geographic location

Some social factors that can contribute to these differences are lifestyle behaviors such as tobacco use, frequency of alcohol use, and poor dietary choices. Just like they affect general health, these behaviors can affect oral. The economic factors that often relate to poor oral health include access to health services and an individual’s ability to get and keep dental insurance.

Disparities in Oral Health

Some of the oral health disparities that exist include the following:

• Overall. Non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians and Alaska Natives generally have the poorest oral health of any racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
• Children and Tooth Decay. The greatest racial and ethnic disparity among children aged 2–4 years and aged 6–8 years is seen in Mexican American and black, non-Hispanic children.
• Adults and Untreated Tooth Decay. Blacks, non-Hispanics, and Mexican Americans aged 35–44 years experience untreated tooth decay nearly twice as much as white, non-Hispanics.
• Tooth Decay and Education. Adults aged 35–44 years with less than a high school education experience untreated tooth decay nearly three times that of adults with at least some college education.
  • In addition, adults aged 35–44 years with less than a high school education experience destructive periodontal (gum) disease nearly three times that of adults with a least some college education.
• Adults and Oral Cancer. The 5–year survival rate is lower for oral pharyngeal (throat) cancers among black men than whites (36% versus 61%).

Healthy People 2010 Works to Eliminate Oral Health Disparities

Healthy People 2010 is the nation’s framework to improve the health of all Americans. The overarching goals of Healthy People 2010 are to increase quality and years of healthy life and eliminate health disparities. Interventions such as community water fluoridation and school-based dental sealant programs can help achieve this goal.

Community water fluoridation reduces and aids in preventing tooth decay among different socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups. Currently, this Healthy People 2010 objective is moving toward its target of 75% of community water having fluoride.

School-based dental sealant programs provide sealants to children who may not receive routine dental care. This includes children at highest risk for tooth decay: those from low-income families and certain racial and ethnic groups. Sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the tiny grooves on the chewing surfaces of the teeth.

The most recent Healthy People 2010 progress review indicates that progress is being made among many of the oral health objectives.

The final Healthy People 2010 review is scheduled for December 2010 and will include updated statistics for the majority of the oral health objectives.

Visit the following Web sites for more information on oral health disparities:

• Focus Area 21 – Oral Health Disparities. You will learn about oral health disparities as classified by race, ethnicity, age, and education.
• Progress Toward Eliminating Health Disparities. This page shows progress toward the Healthy People 2010 oral health objectives.
• Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General. This major report explains that tooth decay remains a big problem in the United States for low-income and minority populations and suggests ways to improve the situation.
• A National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health. The Call to Action builds on the Surgeon General’s report and the Healthy People 2010 oral health objectives.

Related Links

Healthy People 2010: Oral Health Objectives
Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?*
Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities (CDC)
The Office of Minority Health (HHS)
Federal Collaboration on Health Disparities Research

* Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.

Date last reviewed: November 6, 2009
Date last modified: September 22, 2009
Content source: Division of Oral Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion