Racial Disparities in Oral Health

Smile Spokane and our partners work to eliminate oral health disparities in our region and our work is far from done. Many of these disparities result from historically racist health care policies that deny access and quality care to non-white people in the United States. When you look at the data it is an undeniable reality. According to the CDC these disparities include the following:

Overall. Non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians, and Alaska Natives generally have the poorest oral health outcomes in the United States.

Children and Tooth Decay. The greatest racial and ethnic disparity among children aged 3–5 years and aged 6–9 years is seen in Mexican American and non-Hispanic black children.

Adults and Untreated Tooth Decay. Blacks, non-Hispanics, and Mexican Americans aged 35–44 years, experience untreated tooth decay nearly twice as much as non-Hispanic whites.

Tooth Decay and Education. Adults aged 35–44 years with less than a high school education experience untreated tooth decay nearly three times that of adults with at least some college education.

Adults aged 35–44 years with less than a high school education experience destructive periodontal (gum) disease nearly three times that of adults with a least some college education.

Adults and Oral Cancer. The 5–year survival rate is lower for oral pharyngeal (throat) cancers among black men than whites (35% versus 61%).

Adults and Periodontitis. 42% of U.S. adults have some form of periodontitis. In adults aged 65 and older, 59.8% have periodontitis.

Periodontitis is higher in men than women, and greatest among Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic blacks, and those with less than a high school education.

What can we do?

The National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health , put out by the Surgeon General in 2003, "is addressed to professional organizations and individuals concerned with the health of their fellow Americans. It is an invitation to expand plans, activities, and programs designed to promote oral health and prevent disease, especially to reduce the health disparities that affect members of racial and ethnic groups, poor people, many who are geographically isolated, and others who are vulnerable because of special oral health care needs."
 
Smile Spokane works tirelessly to address oral health disparities in our community. One way we have done so is by bringing multi-sector partners together to determine how their work can positively affect impacted populations and address disparities. You can learn more about Smile Spokane's specific strategies here.