Fewer cavities found in young people

CNN — Good news for parents, bad news for dentists!  Fewer dental cavities are found in kids and young adults, but some minority groups are still most at risk.

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that young people, ages 2 through 19 have fewer dental cavities.

That number dropped from 50-percent in 2012 to just over 43-percent in 2016.

The down side of this study found that young members of some minority communities, Hispanic and African American, continue to have the highest number of cavities as well as the highest number of untreated cavities.

A professor at the University of Southern California’s Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry said socioeconomic status, education level and access to health care are just a few reasons why the minority numbers are higher.

Here a few tips to good dental health.

The CDC says have your child visit a dentist for a first checkup by the time they turn 1.

Speak to the dentist about the child using fluoride.

Make sure the child is brushing with the right tools and using good technique.