Preschool Kids Get Socked In the Mouth

Cavities are on the rise for the first time in 40 years

By M. Morris, Newser Staff

Posted May 1, 2007 11:00 AM CDT

(Newser) – Young children are developing more cavities in their baby teeth than kids were a decade ago, the CDC reported yesterday, a worrisome development that reverses a 40-year trend. Preschool children—"thousands and thousands of kids," in the words of one researcher—were the only age group in which the incidence of tooth decay increased.

The rise in cavities, which is also linked to unfluoridated bottled water, shares causes with the obesity epidemic shadowing American children: poor eating habits, processed foods, and sugary drinks. "I can't tell you the number of kids that come into our waiting room sipping on a Mountain Dew," one dentist told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Dental Chair (Archive Photos)

New Study Suggests That Raisins Aid In Oral Health (Getty Images)

A Chinese dentist examines a young patient at one of the first... (Getty Images (by Event))

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Brush Your Teeth (panisonicbeauty (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Parents Blind to Their Fat Kids

Only 13% recognize when their child is obese

(NEWSER) - Nearly half the parents of severely overweight children ages 6 to 11 said their child was “about the right weight,” and only 13% recognized that their child had a severe problem, says a University of Michigan study. The results indicate parents think children will “grow out” of obesity or that something will change as they age, reports the AP. More»

FTC Subpoenas Food Giants on Marketing to Kids

Congress wants data on childhood obesity

(NEWSER) - The FTC dealt out 44 subpoenas yesterday to food companies, including McDonald's, Coca-Cola, and Kraft, seeking information on how much they spent on advertising to kids. The businesses have until November 1 to comply for a report the FTC is preparing for Congress on marketing practices and child obesity. More»

Babies Off Breast Milk Too Soon

Three-quarters of new moms breast feed, but only 11% long enough

(NEWSER) - Almost three quarters of new mothers in the US breast feed their babies, but they are switching to formula too soon, say federal health officials. Only 30% are sticking to breast milk alone at three months, and only 11% at six months, a new survey shows. Breast milk protects infants against diseases, eczema, and childhood obesity. More»

China to Mandate Booty-Shaking

Daily dancing requirement targets childhood obesity

(NEWSER) - The childhood obesity epidemic has found its way to China—and will stop there, if the government's new dance requirement has the desired effect. Starting in September, mandatory classes will get millions of schoolchildren off their butts and onto the dance floor. Experts are developing routines for the curriculum, which will gain new moves every two years. More»

Researchers Fight Fat With Baby Formula

Introducing hormone in infancy trims down rats, sparks controversy

(NEWSER) - The battle to keep pounds off may start with a baby bottle, say a team of British scientists who found that feeding large doses of the appetite-controlling hormone leptin to baby rats led to svelte adult rats. If those results translate to humans, a baby formula that chemically alters metabolism might someday prove the end of obesity. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Preschool Kids Get Socked In the Mouth