Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

 
NIH National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) Home page
  • Health Info
  • Research
  • Grants & Funding
  • Careers & Training
  • News & Events
  • About Us
  • Health Info
    • Publications
    • Clinical Trials
    • Data & Statistics
    • Finding Dental Care
  • Research
    • Research Conducted at NIDCR (Intramural)
    • Research Funded by NIDCR (Extramural)
    • Human Subjects Research
    • Clinical Trials
    • Data & Statistics
    • Scientific Data Sharing
    • Research Priorities
    • Research Investments & Advances
    • Oral Health in America Report
    • COVID-19
  • Grants & Funding
    • Notices of Funding Opportunities
    • Grant Programs and Contacts
    • Funding Priorities
    • Funded Research
    • Human Subjects Research
    • Scientific Data Sharing
  • Careers & Training
    • Research Training at NIDCR (Intramural Opportunities)
    • Funding for Research Training (Extramural Opportunities)
    • Job Openings
    • Loan Repayment
    • Staff Contacts
  • News & Events
    • NIDCR News
    • Newsletter
    • Grantee News
    • Events
    • Images
    • For Reporters
  • About Us
    • Leadership & Staff
    • Advisory Committees
    • Strategic Plan
    • Oral Health in America Report
    • Congressional & Budget
    • Job Openings
    • Getting to NIDCR
    • Contact Us
    • Mission

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Dental Sealants
Research
  • Research Conducted at NIDCR (Intramural)
    • Intramural Investigators
    • Intramural Research Labs
    • Training Opportunities
    • Office of the Scientific Director
    • Office of the Clinical Director
    • Technology Transfer
    • Research Support Cores
  • Research Funded by NIDCR (Extramural)
  • Human Subjects Research
    • Types of Human Subjects Research
    • NIH- and NIDCR-funded Human Subjects Research
    • Conducting NIH and NIDCR-funded Clinical Trials
    • Clinical Researcher Toolkit & Educational Materials
    • Contact Us
  • Clinical Trials
  • Data & Statistics
  • Scientific Data Sharing
  • Research Priorities
    • Future Research Initiatives
  • Research Investments & Advances
  • Oral Health in America Report
  • COVID-19

Dental Sealants in Adolescents (Ages 12 to 19)

Dental sealants in adolescent’s teeth have increased from the early 1970s until the latest (2011–2016) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In spite of this improvement, disparities remain in some population groups.

Table 1 presents sealant prevalence for adolescents ages 12–19 years and for selected subgroups for the last two cycles of the NHANES oral health examination.

Prevalence

  • 48.1% of adolescents 12 to 19 years have dental sealants.
  • Older adolescents, Black and Hispanic adolescents, and those living in families with lower incomes have fewer sealants.

Table 1: Adolescents, Percent with Sealants in Permanent Teeth

Prevalence of sealants in permanent teeth among youths ages 12–19 years, by selected characteristics: United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004 and 2011–2016.
Characteristic Percent of Adolescents with Dental Sealants
1999–2004
Percent of Adolescents with Dental Sealants
2011–2016
Age
12 to 15 years 41.0 51.7
16 to 19 years 34.3 44.5
Sex
Male 36.4 46.5
Female 38.9 49.1
Race and Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic 44.3 53.2
Black, non-Hispanic 25.1 37.2
Mexican American 27.2 45.0
Poverty Status (Income compared to Federal Poverty Level)
Less than 100% 28.8 42.7
100% to 199% 30.6 48.4
Greater than 200% 45.4 51.1
Overall 37.6 48.1

 

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. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2019.

Last Reviewed
June 2022
NIH
  • Home
  • Web Policies
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • No Fear Act
  • Office of Inspector General
  • HHS Vulnerability Disclosure
  • Employee Intranet - Staff Only
Back to top