Trends in oral health status: United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2004.

This report presents national estimates and trends for a variety of oral health status measures for persons aged 2 years and older by sociodemographic and smoking status since the late 1980s in the United States.

Data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 1988-1994 and from the NHANES 1999-2004 were used. These data sources were designed to provide information on the health and nutritional status of the civilian noninstitutionalized population in the United States. Information from oral health examination methods common to both survey periods were used to present prevalence estimates and for trend analyses. Statistical significance of differences between common estimates from each survey period was evaluated using two-sided t-tests.