According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tooth decay is quite prevalent among children in America. The condition impacts roughly 20 percent of young people between the ages of five and 11, and 13 percent of youth between the ages of 12 and 19. Tooth decay is more prevalent among children living in low income households.
Parents can take proactive steps to protect their children’s oral health. The CDC suggests fluoride toothpaste as a first line of defense for children over the age of two years. Parents who live in a community without access to fluoridated tap water may wish to ask a dentist whether they should give their children fluoride lozenges. Additionally, it’s important that children see a dentist for their initial oral health screening around their first birthday.