Children Brushing Teeth After Lunch Drop Sharply... More Than Half Have Experienced 'Cavities'

by Lee Gwanju

Published 22 Jun.2023 12:00(KST)

Announcement of Disease Cheong's Survey Results on Children's Oral Health Status

More than half of children in South Korea have experienced dental caries (cavities). This appears to be influenced by a decrease in toothbrushing practice rates while the consumption rate of cariogenic snacks such as cookies and candies remains unchanged.

Tooth brushing stock photo. [Image source=Getty Images]

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 22nd the results of the "2021-2022 Child Oral Health Survey," conducted on 27,015 children nationwide aged 5 (primary teeth) and 12 (permanent teeth). The Child Oral Health Survey is conducted every three years to investigate children's oral health and is used as basic data for policy development and research.

First, regarding dental caries, which children commonly suffer from, more than half have experienced it. The prevalence of primary tooth caries experience (currently having or having been treated for cavities) was 66.4%, and the prevalence of permanent tooth caries experience was 58.4%. The prevalence of permanent tooth caries showed differences depending on economic status and residential area. The 'low' economic group (12.4%) had more than twice the rate compared to the 'high' group (5.6%), and by region, rural areas (10.1%) had a higher rate than urban areas (6.7%). Additionally, the rate of permanent teeth with pit and fissure sealants among 12-year-old children was 66.1%, an increase of 6.1 percentage points compared to the 2018 survey.

Graph of permanent tooth decay in children aged 12. [Data provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]

Oral care behaviors have rather worsened. The toothbrushing practice rate after lunch among 12-year-old children was 15.2%, a decrease of 18.1 percentage points compared to 33.3% in 2018. Conversely, the consumption rate of cariogenic snacks such as cookies, candies, and ice cream slightly increased to 54.9%.

Ji Young-mi, director of the KDCA, stated, "Although there was little change in oral health levels such as caries experience, prevalence, and caries experience index during the COVID-19 pandemic, oral health care behaviors such as dental treatment utilization and toothbrushing practice have deteriorated. While oral health care behaviors may not have a short-term impact on oral health, they could negatively affect children's oral health in the future. Therefore, we plan to continuously monitor changes in oral health levels and related factors."

The principal investigator, Professor Ma Deuk-sang of Gangneung-Wonju National University School of Dentistry (former president of the Korean Academy of Preventive Dentistry and Oral Health), emphasized, "Since the caries experience indicator has not significantly improved since 2010 and health inequalities such as economic level and regional disparities still exist, active intervention to manage risk factors for dental caries from infancy is necessary."