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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce the proportion of adults with active or untreated tooth decay — OH‑03

Status: Improving

  
Improving
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Most Recent Data:
19.2 percent (2017-20)

Target:
17.3 percent

Desired Direction:
Decrease desired

Baseline:
22.8 percent of adults aged 20 to 74 years had active or currently untreated tooth decay in 2013-16

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Reduce the proportion of adults with active or currently untreated tooth decay

Target-Setting Method
Minimal statistical significance

Data Source:  National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), CDC/NCHS

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Summary

Most adults have tooth decay at some point in their lives, and many don’t get treatment. Making sure more people have access to oral health services and teaching people how to take care of their teeth — for example, by using fluoride mouthwash — can help reduce untreated tooth decay.

Topic:  Oral Conditions

Workgroup: Oral Health Workgroup

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