Alarming Rates of Decay Among Indian Reservation Population.

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Research has revealed alarming rates of decay among the population of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

The Checkup Study, which was founded by the W.K Kellogg Foundation, revealed that 60 percent of adults and 40 percent of children suffer from moderate to severe dental problems and 90 percent of the population has signs of decay. This figure is three times the national average in the USA.

The study was the first to be carried out in 12 years in the area, with the findings released at the 68th National Congress of American Indians conference, which is being held in Portland.

Terry Batliner, from the Colorado School of Public Health and member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, said that many people living in Pine Ridge suffer from dental pain on a daily basis, but there is a severe shortage of dentists in the area and therefore access to care is very poor.

The high rates of decay are worrying news, with poor dental health linked to poor performance at school, as well as an increased risk of serious medical conditions, including heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

The Checkup team carried out a thorough investigation during the study period and visited 20 communities, involving almost 300 people in the study. Each participant was examined and then given advice about treatment. The study found that rates of decay were significantly higher than figures recorded in a study compiled in 1999 by the Indian Health Service.

 

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