School-Based Program Cuts Kid Cavities

A U.S. school-based program that gives children oral-health education, dental exams, cleanings and preventive care reduced cavities by 50 percent.

The program, called ForsythKids, resulted in a 50-percent reduction of cavities after one round of treatment in kids who participated. After two rounds, there was virtually no new tooth decay.

The findings were presented by Boston-based Forsyth Institute scientists at the 85th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research in New Orleans.

Our initial studies have shown that you can effectively prevent, what is today, the most common childhood disease — tooth decay, Richard Niederman, director of the Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry at The Forsyth Institute, said in a statement.

Just two weeks ago we saw a terrible tragedy in the national news about a tooth infection that led to the untimely death of a 12-year-old boy, who like thousands of other children, did not have access to dental care.