Tooth decay rates rising among young Canadians

Jordana Huber , Canwest News Service
Published: Thursday, July 03, 2008

TORONTO - Tooth decay among young Canadian children is on the rise and current models to address their oral health lack critical education and prevention components, according to Dr. Ian McConnachie, past president of the Ontario Dental Association.

Provincial dental programs offer mostly stop-gap measures aimed at urgent care rather than early intervention, said McConnachie who is presenting Friday on ways to treat high-risk children at the International Association of Dental Research conference in Toronto.

"Decay in children is the most widespread chronic disease of childhood, much higher than the No. 2 which is asthma," McConnachie said. "Decay rates in kids are rising again where they have been falling for decades."

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