In fact, a number of studies revealed that the rise in tooth decay might have been over with, but this current study shows otherwise, according to dental experts interviewed by the Associated Press. Dr. Bruce Dye of the National Center for Health Statistics told the AP that one cause of this increase is that parents are allowing their kids to eat more processed snack foods than in other years, and also drinking more water that is bottled or other types of drinks that are not fluoridated tap water. Bottled water is not treated with fluoride, notes Reuters.

"One of the interesting paradoxes of this is that we've actually had expansion in community water fluoridation in the United States over this time period," Dye said in a telephone interview to Reuters. Parents are also feeding their kids more fruit snacks, juice boxes, candy and soda, Dye told the AP, and that is part of the problem as well.

Dr. Gary Rozier, a dentist, doesn’t think it’s a coincidence that we are suffering from a childhood obesity crisis at the same time children are having more tooth decay: He told the AP that the same causes which lead to the obesity problem in children can also lead to tooth problems.

Strangely though, older kids are getting less cavities now than in previous years. In children 12 to 19, the existence of tooth decay dropped to 59 percent from the previous amount of 68 percent. Dye told Reuters he did not know why tooth decay had become more prevalent in younger children and not in older children.

This study is the biggest government study to look at America’s dental health in over 25 years, reports the AP.

Until next time!