National Oral Health Survey conducted by New York College
A national oral health survey, in Grenada, has finally been completed by a forty-three member strong team from the New York University College of Dentistry. The team, also representing Henry Schein Cares Global Student Outreach Program, began the survey in January, which is the most comprehensive assessment of oral health in a Caribbean country ever. The Research was aided by the governments of Grenada, Petit Martinique and Carriacou.
The results showed that around twenty-five percent of children surveyed didn’t own their own toothbrush and that just over eighty three percent of them had dental cavities. Even more children surveyed admitted that they had never been to the dentist and, of those who had, most hadn’t visited one within two years.
Chair of the Department of Criology & Comprehensive Care, and Associate Dean for Predoctoral Education, Dr. Mark Wolff led the Grenada outreach program as the survey director; In approximately one thousand children, we found almost ten thousand cavities. Multiply that by the twenty-six thousand children on the island, and it gives you some idea of the magnitude of decay.’
It is suggested that the high rates of decay are due to the low amount of preventative measures available and the overall limited access to good oral healthcare. The New York University team assessed one thousand and ninety children between the ages of six and fifteen across twenty-two schools. The team also provided emergency dental care to those who needed it, including extractions, root canal procedures and fillings.
‘This alarming baseline data calls for immediate caries (cavities) prevention strategies on the islands of Grenada and Carriacou,’ said Dr. Mark Wolff. ‘Preventative measures could include water fluoridation or salt fluoridation, oral health education, and sealants. Understand, if there were one thousand cavities, we say six thousand early lesions that hadn’t cavitated yet. If we intercept two-thirds of them with fluoride, we can have four thousand cavities in the future. That’s pretty dramatic.’
The initial findings of the assessments were presented to the Grenadian Ministry of Health and to the International Association for Dental Research in Barcelona during the summer.
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Big poor minority inner cities in the US are just as bad. Burt in 2007 reported Detroit had nearly 100% with cavities by age 5 and 83% still with untreated caries by age 14. Cause was poor nutrition of f-water soda,chips and no vegetables or fruits. Very very few dentists treat poor kids on medicaid in the US. Most have no dentist or care. Often the worst damage is the caused by sugar drinks in nap time bottles or sippy cups. Milk is a sugar drink and after age 10 months must be avoided at nap time but water is fine. Just avoid the fluoridated as it is a risk for babies and dental fluorosis.