The burden of oral diseases is spread unevenly throughout the population. Safe and effective measures for preventing oral disease are underused. These include water fluoridation, dental sealants, and regular professional care, as well as tobacco cessation. Untreated tooth decay remains a problem. About one-third of persons across all age groups have untreated decay.
Tobacco use increases the risk of gum disease.
Mouth and throat cancers are the sixth most common cancers in U.S. males and the fourth most common in African American men. Oral clefts are one of the most common birth defects in the United States. Community water fluoridation reaches over 144 million people, or 62 percent of Americans on public water supplies. One hundred million Americans do not have fluoridated water. More than 108 million Americans do not have dental insurance.