A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 42 percent of kids aged 6 to 19 had had a cavity or filling in their permanent teeth when examined between 1999 and 2002, a 15-percent decrease from the 1988-1994 period.
Tooth decay among adults fell between 4 and 6 percent, with 20 percent fewer over the age of 60 reporting they had lost all their teeth, the Atlanta-based CDC said.
"This reduced decay in all ages is really a reflection of the widespread availability of fluoride," said Dr. William Maas, director of the CDC's division of oral health. "It works for all ages."
