Strategic Spartanburg

Nationally, studies show that almost 52 million school hours per year are lost to dental related illness. Poor oral health has been related to decreased school performance, poor social relationships, and less success later in life. Early tooth loss caused by dental decay can result in failure to thrive, impaired speech development, school absence, and inability to concentrate in school, and reduced self esteem. The prevalence of untreated dental caries (the formation of cavities by the action of bacteria) was slightly higher in Spartanburg County (34.1%) than the State(32.2%). The prevalence of dental sealant on at least one permanent molar was slightly lower in Spartanburg County (17.8%) than in the State (20.3%. Spartanburg County had nearly twice the proportion of children requiring urgent dental care as compared to the State.