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THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2002

Tooth decay among young American Indian and Alaska Native children is "worsening" and will lead to more problems later on in life, according to recent report by the Indian Health Service.

There has been a "significant increase" during the last decade in tooth decay among Native children ages 2-5, last month's report states. Based on a nationwide survey of dental patients, the IHS found that 79 percent of Native preschoolers had a history of tooth decay in 1999.

When compared to figures from 1991, when the last survey was conducted, there has been an increase in the number of decayed, missing or filled teeth in this age group. Sixty percent showed "severe" problems, which the IHS defines as decay in the upper front teeth or in six or more teeth.

Tooth decay problems vary by region, the report states. Children on the Navajo Nation had the worst level followed by those in the states of Arizona, Utah and Nevada.

On the other hand, Native children in California and the states of Wisconsin, Michigan had Minnesota showed much fewer problems. In California, for instance, the level of decay was nearly three times less than the rate at Navajo.

But even here, Native children fared worse than the general population, the report states. The percentage of children with untreated decay was more than three times higher among American Indian and Alaska Native preschoolers (68 percent) compared to the rest of the country (19 percent), for example.

These early problems contribute to oral health later in life, according to the report. In the 6-14 age group, 87 percent had history of decay, which increased to 91 percent of 15-19 years olds.

"Dental disease is a significant health problem for Indian people of all ages, but the magnitude of the problem is greatest among very young children," said Dr. Michael Trujillo, director of the IHS.

Trujillo is scheduled to testify today before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on the fiscal year 2003 budget for his agency. President Bush has requested $2.9 billion, an increase of $60 million over the current year.

Of this amount, the IHS expects to spend $105 million on dental health, an increase of about $5 million. This represents a leveling off of funding when compared to the Clinton administration, when spending jumped from $66 million in 1998 to $100 million in 2002.

Despite the increases, the IHS estimates that only about 25 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives can access dental services. Meanwhile, 22 percent of dental positions are vacant, according to a budget document, and a typical IHS dentist sees 2,800 patients, compared to 1,500 in the general population.

Despite the problems, the IHS notes improvements. Between 1991 and 1999, there has been a 14 percent increase in the number of children ages 5-19 with no decay, the report states.

High decay has decreased by 12 percent in this age group as well, according to the statistics.

Get the Report:
1999 Oral Health Survey (IHS February 2002)

Get Budget Documents:
IHS Budget Justification [HHS] | IHS Budget Authority Chart [HHS] | IHS Profile [HHS] | HHS Budget [HHS] | HHS Budget [OMB]

Relevant Links:
IHS Dental Web Site - http://www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/Dental/index.asp
The Web Source for IHS Budget Documents - http://www.ihs.gov/AdminMngrResources/Budget/index.htm
Indian Health Service - http://www.ihs.gov

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