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| This system was developed with the collaboration of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD). |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Caries Experience
Can childhood caries be prevented?
Throughout childhood and adolescence, there are many opportunities
for primary prevention of tooth
decay. Caries experience, that could be represented by a missing
tooth or presence of a cavity or a filling, indicates that
opportunities for primary prevention may have been missed. Caries
experience in the permanent teeth increases with age, and is higher, for example, among
adolescents than among young children. By the time adolescents
finish high school, approximately 80% have experienced tooth decay.
Effective personal preventive measures (e.g., tooth brushing with
fluoride toothpastes and flossing) should be started as soon as
teeth erupt and supervised by a parent until children are old enough
to do well on their own — typically around age 6 or 7. Tailored
dental visits provide an opportunity to assess dietary and oral
hygiene practices and to place sealants on vulnerable permanent
teeth that erupt between the ages of 5 and 13.
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The information provided on this Web page is general background
information and should not be construed as CDC recommended
practice or guidelines, except where official recommendation or
guideline documents are specifically mentioned. |
Page last reviewed: June 7, 2007
Page last modified: May 23, 2006
Content Source: Division of
Oral Health,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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