HJAR Jan/Feb 2024

36 JAN / FEB 2024 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS ADH CORNER COLUMN ADH CORNER ORAL HEALTH is an essential aspect of overall health. Unfortunately, Arkansas ranks low in the nation for good oral health for both adults and children. In the America’s Health Rankings report from 2022, Arkansas ranked last in the nation for the percentage of adults who reported visiting a dentist that year. Oral health is especially important for children, whose habits can set up a lifetime of cascading effects, both positive and negative. Many children face chronic oral health problems. Cavities are the most common chronic disease for children in the United States. In 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported more than 45% of all children in the United States experience cavities by the time they are 19 years old. Oral health problems can affect many ar- eas of a child’s life and can impact their well- being in various ways as they age. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) says, “Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t.” Poor oral health can also contribute to developing can- cer, diabetes, and dementia later in life and has recently been suggested as a modifiable risk factor for adult cardiovascular disease. During the 2022-2023 school year, the Ar- kansas Department of Health (ADH) Office of Oral Health conducted a basic screening survey of third graders in a representative sample of Arkansas’s public schools to ana- lyze how the pandemic had impacted their oral health. The survey revealed that nearly 6 in 10 third graders in Arkansas have expe- rienced tooth decay, and nearly 1 in f5 have untreated tooth decay. Additionally, there were noticeable racial, socioeconomic, and geographic dispari- ties. Hispanic third graders had the highest prevalence of tooth decay. AfricanAmerican third graders had the lowest prevalence of protective dental sealants. Children eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program, compared to those not eligible, had a higher preva- lence of decay experience, untreated decay, Children ORAL HEALTH &