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Tooth Decay Higher in Rural AlaskaLack of fluoridation in water and drinking soda are key factors in tooth decay in western Alaska region.Related Content
According to a report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services children in rural Alaska are 4.5 times more likely to have severe cavities compared to the national average.
Officials say the two leading factors associated with tooth decay in both kids baby and adult teeth are the lack of water fluoridation and drinking sugary drinks, like soda. This finding is based on an investigation conducted in 2008 by the CDC and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services on childhood dental health in rural Alaska. The findings also found that children age’s 4 to 5 year olds on villages without fluoridation have a tooth decay rate 2.6 times higher than in villages with fluoridation. Doctor Tom Hennessy of CDC recommends that villages with water systems set up for fluoridation to have it added to their water. For those villages without running water he says, parents can be sure their kids use toothpaste with fluoride or to have health care providers apply fluoride directly onto their teeth. |
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G. said on Friday, Sep 23 at 11:32 AM
If they are drinking plenty of soda pop, they are getting plenty of fluoride!! Fluoride is essentially in everything but "distilled" water. It's in the food supply and the pollution you breathe. The "fluoride" put in tap water is nothing more than pollution, "non-pharmaceutical grade" pollution.
74257969nyscof said on Friday, Sep 23 at 1:04 AM
The conclusion of this report makes no sense since 91% of the 12-15 year olds in the FLUORIDATED villages have tooth decay and 67% of the 4-5 year olds in the FLUORIDATED villages have tooth decay. There is no attempt to measure each child's total fluoride intake. High levels of fluoride are found in ocean fish, tea and is even in soda. There is no evidence that AN children need fluoride; but there's loads of info showing they are dentist-deficient It's clear the CDC's oral health division has become the PR arm of the American Dental Association which vehemently opposes Dental Therapists from working in rural Alaska because DTs infringe on dentists' lucrative monopoly. Touting fluoridation, as if it's a cure for rotten diets and lack of dental care, is absurd yet is promoted by organized dentistry where 80% of dentists refuse to treat Medicaid and other poor people. CDC needs to be investigated.
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