On the recordNovember 1, 2001
I would like to bring your attention to a hidden epidemic. This epidemic affects the overall health of children, especially children in low-income families. It has been called a ``hidden epidemic'' because it can be difficult to detect at a glance, and because it receives relatively little attention as a threat to children's health. But while this epidemic is ``hidden,'' it manifests itself every day in the smiles of America's children. The epidemic I am referring to is that of poor dental health. Dental decay, a major cause of tooth loss, is the most prevalent chronic disease of childhood. Each year, dental conditions cause children in the U.S. to miss more than 750,000 days of school. One in ten children between the ages of five and eleven has never visited a dentist. This is a shocking and distressing statistic. The unfortunate trend cannot be allowed to continue.
Source
govinfo.gov
