For the first time in 40 years, tooth decay among young children is rising. A new federal study shows an increase in the incidence of cavities in the baby teeth of children under five. KPBS reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.
The increase in cavities among preschoolers is being attributed in part to a diet rich in snack foods.
Another reason is a lack of dental care, especially among poor children.
Joel Cohen is with the Oakland-based Dental Health Foundation. He says California’s Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs cover dental treatments for poor kids.
Cohen : But those are woefully under funded, and because of that, most dentists do not want to take Dental-Cal and Healthy Family kids.
A bill in the California Assembly would raise the state payment rate to dentists by five percent. But Cohen says that’s not enough to entice more dentists to treat low-income patients.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
