HC4.B Oral health: Percentage of children ages 5–17 with untreated dental caries (cavities) by age, poverty status, and race and Hispanic origin, selected years 1988–1994 through 2017–March 2020

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Characteristic 1988–1994 1999–2004 2005–2008 2009–2010 2011–2012 2013–2014 2015–2016 2017–March 2020a
Ages 5–17
Total 24.3 23.3 16.4 14.3 16.7 18.1 13.9 12.2
Poverty status
Below 100% poverty 39.0 33.5 26.3 21.6 24.3 24.9 19.9 19.4
100%–199% poverty 29.7 32.2 18.3 18.7 21.1 19.8 17.7 15.9
200% poverty and above 15.2 14.5 11.9 9.6 9.8 13.9 9.8 8.0
Race and Hispanic originb
White, non-Hispanic 19.5 19.7 13.2 11.4 13.5 16.4 12.2 11.6
Black, non-Hispanic 33.2 28.5 22.0 21.1 21.8 24.0 18.4 13.1
Asian, non-Hispanic 15.5 15.5 12.2 13.1
Hispanic 18.8 21.9 20.4 14.7 11.9
Mexican American 38.3 34.1 22.0 21.4 23.9 22.3 15.3 12.5
Ages 5–11
Total 27.8 27.1 20.4 15.9 19.4 16.9 15.4 14.8
Poverty status
Below 100% poverty 43.4 37.5 30.6 23.4 24.3 22.1 24.0 22.7
100%–199% poverty 31.7 36.1 22.9 20.1 24.8 18.4 18.2 20.1
200% poverty and above 18.1 17.3 15.0 10.6 12.9 13.8 10.5 9.4
Race and Hispanic originb
White, non-Hispanic 23.0 23.3 17.7 12.4 15.1 14.7 14.6 12.3
Black, non-Hispanic 34.3 32.1 26.3 18.5 25.9 21.8 21.0 16.0
Asian, non-Hispanic 18.7 16.8 10.6 18.8
Hispanic 23.8 26.0 20.2 14.6 16.6
Mexican American 42.5 39.1 25.0 27.4 26.3 21.1 14.6 17.7
Ages 12–17
Total 20.0 18.8 11.9 12.5 13.7 19.4 12.4 9.3
Poverty status
Below 100% poverty 32.5 28.1 20.3 19.3 24.2 28.6 14.2 14.7
100%–199% poverty 27.4 26.8 12.4 16.9 17.1 21.5 17.2 11.7
200% poverty and above 11.7 11.6 8.8 8.5 6.8 13.9 9.2 6.5
Race and Hispanic originb
White, non-Hispanic 15.2 15.5 8.6 10.4 11.8 18.2 9.9 10.8
Black, non-Hispanic 31.9 24.2 17.3 23.9 17.5 26.5 15.6 10.1
Asian, non-Hispanic 12.4 14.2 13.8
Hispanic 12.4 17.0 20.7 14.9 6.3
Mexican American 32.8 27.3 17.9 13.8 20.9 23.7 16.1 6.5
— Not available.
‡ Reporting standards not met; estimates are considered unreliable.
a The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) program suspended field operations in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, data collection for the 2019–2020 cycle was not completed and the collected data are not nationally representative. Therefore, data collected from 2019 to March 2020 were combined with data from the 2017–2018 cycle to form a nationally representative sample of 2017–March 2020 pre-pandemic data. The 2017–March 2020 pre-pandemic data are not strictly comparable with data for earlier years. For more information, see: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/continuousnhanes/overviewbrief.aspx?Cycle=2017-2020.
b For 1988–1994 data, the 1977 U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards for data on race and ethnicity were used to classify persons into one of the following four racial groups: White, Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, or Asian or Pacific Islander. Starting in 1999–2000, the revised 1997 OMB standards were used. Persons could select one or more of five racial groups: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Included in the total but not shown separately are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and "Two or more races." Starting in 1999–2000, those in each racial category represent those reporting only one race. Data from 1999–2000 onward are not directly comparable with data from earlier years. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected separately but combined for reporting. Persons of Mexican origin may be of any race. From 1988–1994 to 2005–2006, the NHANES sample was designed to provide estimates specifically for persons of Mexican American origin. Starting in 2007–2008, the NHANES allows for reporting of both total Hispanic and Mexican American persons. Starting in 2011–2012, the NHANES sample was designed to provide estimates for Asian American persons.
NOTE: Dental caries is evidence of decay on the crown or enamel surface of a tooth (i.e., coronal caries) and includes treated and untreated caries. Decay in the root (i.e., root caries) was not included. The presence of caries was evaluated in primary and permanent teeth for persons ages 5–17. The third molars were not included. Dental caries was identified by an oral examination as part of the survey. For more information on the NHANES oral examination, see Dye, B. A., Tan, S., Smith, V., Lewis, B. G., Barker, L. K., & Thornton-Evans, G. (2007). Trends in oral health status: United States, 1988–1994 and 1999–2004, Vital and Health Statistics, 11(248), 1–92. National Center for Health Statistics; Dye, B. A., Barker, L. K., Li, X., Lewis, B. G., & Beltrán-Aguilar, E. D. (2011). Overview and quality assurance for the oral health component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005–08. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 71(1), 54–61; and https://wwwn.cdc.gov/Nchs/Nhanes/2017-2018/OHXDEN_J.htm.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

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