Hawaii fails 1 in 5 children

Hawaii has been rated amongst the worst states for dental care, according to a recent report.

The Pew Center report, which is a large-scale national survey of dental care, was released on Tuesday, producing some shocking results. Hawaii received the lowest grade possible, an ‘F’ and was accused of failing one fifth if its children.

The report graded states on their ability to provide acceptable standards of dental healthcare by assessing their performance in eight separate areas; these included access to fluoridated water, preventive dental care for children and an acceptable level of access to reduced rate, Medicaid treatment. According to the report, Hawaii only met standards in just two of the eight required benchmarks.

The state has the lowest quantity of fluoridated water in the whole country, with only military bases having access to fluoridated water supplies. Fluoride is important because it protects the enamel surface of the teeth; if the enamel is worn away, the dentin portion of the tooth becomes exposed and the tooth becomes much more vulnerable to tooth decay and sensitivity to heat and cold.

Educational measures and preventive programmes in schools have also not been implemented, according to the report; these measures can make a dramatic difference to children’s oral health as they teach children how to look after their health and allow them access to programmes such as the sealant scheme; this involves applying a sealant to the teeth to protect them from decay and damage. Putting these preventive measures into practice is a major goal for the current American government; it is hoped that targeting young people will increase standards of dental health in the future and reduce the need for expensive dental treatments in the future.

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