How many US children have cavities in their baby teeth, how many have untreated decay at ages 2 to 5 and at ages 6 to 8, how many children ages 6 to 9 have ever had tooth decay, and how do those figures differ with family income? The answers come from dental exams in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2017 to March 2020, published in CDC’s 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report.
The short answer
In 2017 to March 2020, 11.1% of US children ages 2 to 5 had at least one untreated decayed baby tooth, about 1 in 9 (our arithmetic). Among children ages 6 to 8, 17.7% had untreated decay in their baby teeth, more than 1 in 6 (our arithmetic). Among children ages 6 to 9, 50.1% had ever had tooth decay, about 1 in 2 (our arithmetic).
Three measures, kept apart
The report measures decay differently at different ages, so this page does not combine or compare these figures. Untreated decay means “having one or more untreated decayed primary teeth among children with at least one primary tooth.” Ever having decay means “having one or more decayed or filled primary teeth or one or more decayed, missing, or filled permanent teeth among children with at least one primary or permanent tooth.”
How many teeth?
Among children ages 2 to 5 with at least one decayed or filled baby tooth in 2017 to March 2020, the average was 4.4 such teeth: 1.8 decayed and 2.6 filled.
Family income
The report groups families by income compared with the federal poverty level. At ages 2 to 5 in 2017 to March 2020, 18.0% of children in families below the poverty level had untreated decay in their baby teeth, compared with 6.6% of children in families at 200% of the poverty level or more. At ages 6 to 9, 60.4% of children in families below 200% of the poverty level had ever had tooth decay, compared with 40.5% of those at 200% or more.
Race and Hispanic origin
At ages 2 to 5 in 2017 to March 2020, the report found untreated decay in 18.5% of Mexican American children and 8.1% of non-Hispanic White children. The report marks this gap and both income gaps as statistically significant; it does not explain them, and this page offers no cause.
How the numbers were gathered
All estimates are age adjusted to the US 2000 standard population. The next survey cycle, August 2021 to August 2023, had no dental exam. We found no newer national dental exam figures for US children.
The short version
In 2017 to March 2020, 11.1% of US children ages 2 to 5 had untreated decay in their baby teeth, and 50.1% of children ages 6 to 9 had ever had tooth decay.
Last checked: 2026-10-21, against CDC’s 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report tables (NHANES 2017 to March 2020) and NCHS’s report on NHANES plan and operations for August 2021 to August 2023. This article was machine-checked against the sources above and has not been expert-reviewed. Spotted an error or a newer public figure? Please tell us on our contact page with the article link and we will review it.
Sources
- S1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Oral Health Surveillance Report: Dental Caries, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 2017 to March 2020”, 2024, Tables 1, 2, 3 and 6. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc/154481 . Web tables: https://www.cdc.gov/oral-health/php/2024-oral-health-surveillance-report/ . Saved table text accessed Oct 21, 2026.
- S2 National Center for Health Statistics, “Plan and Operations of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, August 2021 to August 2023”, Vital and Health Statistics, Series 1, No. 66. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc/151927 .