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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- More and more children are being admitted to the hospital for tooth decay and other dental conditions, according to a new study.
British researchers found between 1997 and 2006, there were more than 517,000 "episodes of care" for children with dental conditions. More than half were for tooth decay or cavities. Eighty percent involved extractions, and extractions for cavities rose 66 percent during this period of time.
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The study also revealed major differences in socioeconomic backgrounds among the children. Those in the most deprived sector of society received twice as many treatments as those from the most affluent sectors. Children in more affluent areas were 75 percent less likely to develop cavities.
David Moles, professor of oral health services research at Peninsula Dental School, was quoted as saying, "The findings of our study are very worrying. One poor child was admitted to the hospital for extractions on seven separate occasions in the nine-year period of the statistics."
Experts worry that an increase in dental care means more children are undergoing treatments that involve general anesthesia, which can be potentially life threatening.
SOURCE: British Dental Journal, April 11, 2009
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
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