A new report from the Alabama Department of Public Health details the oral healthcare issues facing residents in the state.
Twelve notes from the report:
1. About 15% of patients aged 1-17 experience oral health problems such as toothaches, bleeding gums or decayed teeth and cavities.
2. About 78% of patients aged 1-17 visited an oral healthcare provider between 2020 and 2021.
3. Seventy-four percent of patients aged 1-17 had at least one preventive visit between 2020 and 2021.
4. The state saw a decline in the number of kindergarteners and third graders who underwent dental screenings at schools between 2020 and 2022, which the department said was most likely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
5. Nearly 41% of kindergarteners in the state have experienced tooth decay, and nearly 22% have untreated decay.
6. Half of all third graders in the state have experienced tooth decay, and 23% have untreated decay.
7. Seventy-five percent of adult Alabama residents aged 35-44 have not lost a tooth due to decay or gum disease.
8. In 2020, nearly 20% of adults in Alabama aged 65 or older have lost six or more teeth due to tooth decay or gum disease.
9. Nearly 43% of adults in Alabama aged 65 or older have lost all of their natural teeth due to tooth decay or gum disease.
10. Fifty-five out of Alabama's 67 counties are rural, leading them to have a higher demand for services.
11. The department made several recommendations to improve oral healthcare in the state, including expanding access to preventive dental services, increasing the dentist workforce in underserved areas and public health initiatives.
12. State Dental Director Tommy Johnson, DMD, also suggested expanding the scope of practice for dental providers, including dental therapists, the Alabama Reflector reported Aug. 15.