Dental Caries (Tooth Decay) in Adolescents (Ages 12 to 19 Years)

Dental Caries in the Permanent (Adult) Teeth

Dental caries (tooth decay), both treated and untreated, has declined among adolescents ages 12 to 19 years from the early 1970s until the most recent (2011–2016) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In spite of this decline, significant disparities are still found in some population groups. Although there was an increase in caries in Mexican American adolescents, there also was a significant decline in untreated caries in this ethnic group. More than half of older adolescents (ages 16 to 19 years) had caries.

The following are highlights from the most recent statistics on dental caries among adolescents (2011–2016).

Prevalence (Table 1)

• Overall, nearly 57% of adolescents 12 to 19 years have had dental caries in their permanent teeth.
• Older adolescents, Mexican American adolescents, and those living in families with lower incomes were more likely to have decay.

Unmet Needs (Table 2)

• There was a significant decrease overall in adolescents with untreated decay from 1999–2004 to 2011–2016. In the current survey period, nearly 17% of adolescents 12 to 19 years had untreated decay.
• Although there was a significant decrease in untreated decay in Black and Mexican American adolescents between the two periods, Black and Mexican American adolescents and those living in families with low incomes still were more likely to have untreated decay.
• Adolescents from households with low incomes were twice as likely to have untreated decay than those living in high income households.

Severity (Table 3)

• Overall, adolescents 12 to 19 years had an average of one missing or decayed permanent tooth per child and those from families with lower incomes had more severe decay in the permanent teeth.
• Mexican American adolescents had an average of five missing or decayed teeth per child.

Tables 1 through 3 present selected caries estimates in the permanent teeth for adolescents ages 12 to 19 years and for selected subgroups.

Units of Measure: Dental caries is measured by a dentist examining a person’s teeth, and recording the ones with untreated decay, ones that are missing, and those with fillings. This provides four important numbers for individuals who have had at least one decayed, missing, or filled tooth:

• DT (decayed teeth): this is the number of decayed permanent teeth that have not been treated, which measures unmet need;
• MT (missing teeth): this is the number of missing permanent teeth due to disease;
• FT (filled teeth): this is the number of decayed permanent teeth that have been treated, which indicates access to dental care; and
• DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled teeth): this is the sum of DT, MT, and FT, and is the measure of person’s total lifetime tooth decay.

Table 1. Percent of Adolescents with Caries in the Permanent Teeth

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oral Health Surveillance Report: Trends in Dental Caries and Sealants, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 1999–2004 to 2011–2016. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2019.

Table 2. Percent of Adolescents with Untreated Decay in the Permanent Teeth

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oral Health Surveillance Report: Trends in Dental Caries and Sealants, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 1999–2004 to 2011–2016. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2019.

Table 3. Adolescents, Severity of Decay Measured by Number of Permanent Teeth Affected

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oral Health Surveillance Report: Trends in Dental Caries and Sealants, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 1999–2004 to 2011–2016. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2019.