Dental caries, also known as tooth decay, is a widespread chronic disease affecting people of all ages worldwide. Despite advancements in oral health care and prevention strategies, they remain a significant public health challenge. Dental caries also have far-reaching consequences for individuals, communities, and healthcare systems.
In this article, we’ll examine the latest statistics on dental caries prevalence, trends, and disparities across different age groups and regions.
Alarming Global Dental Caries Prevalence
The following statistics highlight the severity and global impact of dental caries:
- Globally, the prevalence of dental caries in primary teeth is reported to be 46.2%, and for permanent teeth, it is 53.8%.
- An estimated 2 billion people suffer from caries of permanent teeth, and 514 million children suffer from caries of primary teeth worldwide.
- Worldwide, between 60% and 90% of school-age children have dental caries, with the majority of dental decay remaining untreated due to inappropriate, unaffordable, or unavailable oral healthcare services.
Age-Related Dental Caries Statistics
Dental caries affects individuals across all age groups, with varying prevalence and severity:
Children and Adolescents
- In the United States, 46.0% of children aged 2-19 years have untreated or restored dental caries in one or more primary or permanent teeth (2017-March 2020).
- The prevalence of untreated tooth decay in permanent teeth decreased to 5% for children aged 6-11 years and 17% for adolescents aged 12-19 years since 1999-2004.
Adults
- Nearly 90% of adults aged 20 to 64 years in the United States have had decay in their teeth, with no significant change between the 1999-2004 and 2011-2016 periods.
- In the United States, 25.9% of adults aged 20-44 years and 25.3% of adults aged 45-64 years have untreated dental caries (2015-2018).
- Among seniors 65 and older in the United States, 20.2% have untreated dental caries (2015-2018), and 13.2% have complete tooth loss (2017-March 2020).
Trends in Dental Caries Prevalence
Over the last decade, dental caries statistics have shown a general trend of improvement, with a decrease in the prevalence and severity of dental caries in various age groups across different regions:
- In Florianópolis, southern Brazil, the prevalence of dental caries among schoolchildren aged 12 and 13 decreased from 98.0% in 1971 to 39.6% in 2016, with the mean DMFT (Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth) index falling from 9.2 in 1971 to 0.9 in 2016.
- In the United States, there was a significant decline in the severity of tooth decay (DMFT) for nearly all adults of all ages between the 1999-2004 and 2011-2016 periods.
- Among youth aged 2-19 years in the United States, the prevalence of total dental caries (untreated and treated) was 45.8% in 2015-2016, with untreated caries at 13.0%.
Variations in Dental Caries Prevalence by Country
The prevalence of dental caries varies significantly by country and region, influenced by factors such as socioeconomic development, access to dental care, dietary habits, and exposure to fluoride:
- In 2019, the regions with the highest age-standardized incidence rates of caries in permanent teeth were South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe, while the regions with the lowest rates were Southern Latin America, Andean Latin America, and Central Latin America.
- The top three countries with the highest age-standardized incidence rates of caries in permanent teeth in 2019 were Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. Romania, Chile, and Colombia had some of the lowest rates.
- There is a noted pattern where the burden of untreated dental caries declines in most countries and territories for each unit increase in the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) after a threshold of 0.75.
Tooth decay remains a major public health issue, impacting everyone globally. Even with progress, the need for better oral health solutions is clear. The statistics presented in this article underscore the urgent need for comprehensive oral health interventions and policies.
We need a multi-pronged approach to tackle this dental caries epidemic: prevention, early detection, and affordable treatment. This means promoting good brushing habits, wider access to fluoride and sealants, and ensuring quality dental care for all.
Furthermore, targeted interventions are needed to address the disparities in dental caries prevalence among different age groups, socioeconomic strata, and regions. Prioritizing oral for overall health and well-being is key to reducing global tooth decay and improving lives worldwide.