Dental Sealants in Adolescents (Ages 12 to 19)

Dental sealants in adolescent’s teeth have increased from the early 1970s until the latest (2011–2016) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In spite of this improvement, disparities remain in some population groups.

Table 1 presents sealant prevalence for adolescents ages 12–19 years and for selected subgroups for the last two cycles of the NHANES oral health examination.

Prevalence

48.1% of adolescents 12 to 19 years have dental sealants.
Older adolescents, Black and Hispanic adolescents, and those living in families with lower incomes have fewer sealants.

Table 1: Adolescents, Percent with Sealants in Permanent Teeth

Prevalence of sealants in permanent teeth among youths ages 12–19 years, by selected characteristics: United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004 and 2011–2016.
Characteristic	Percent of Adolescents with Dental Sealants 1999–2004	Percent of Adolescents with Dental Sealants 2011–2016
Age
12 to 15 years	41.0	51.7
16 to 19 years	34.3	44.5
Sex
Male	36.4	46.5
Female	38.9	49.1
Race and Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic	44.3	53.2
Black, non-Hispanic	25.1	37.2
Mexican American	27.2	45.0
*Poverty Status* (Income compared to Federal Poverty Level)
Less than 100%	28.8	42.7
100% to 199%	30.6	48.4
Greater than 200%	45.4	51.1
Overall	37.6	48.1

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oral Health Surveillance Report: Trends in Dental Caries and Sealants, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 1999–2004 to 2011–2016. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2019.

Last Reviewed
June 2022