Minority Health Month | Oral Health Disparities

April is Minority Health Month! Did you know that African American and Latinos experience more untreated tooth decay than their non-Latino white peers?

Check out these minority oral health facts:

Adults

• 42% of African-American adults and 36% of Hispanic adults have untreated dental disease.

Children

• Untreated tooth decay in primary teeth among children ages 2 to 8 is twice as high for Hispanic and African-American children.
• 37% of Native American children ages one to 5 have had untreated dental decay.

Gum Disease

• Periodontal Disease is higher in men than women, and greatest among Mexican Americans and African Americans.

Oral Cancer

• The 5–year survival rate is lower for oral throat cancers among black men than whites (36% versus 61%).

Access to Insurance

• In 2013, African-Americans comprised 13.2% of the population but accounted for 21% of Medicaid beneficiaries.