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Fighting Cavities In San Francisco's Chinatown

Dentist Richard Choi volunteers his time screening students at San Francisco's public schools for overall oral health. (Laura Klivans/KQED)
Dentist Richard Choi volunteers his time screening students at San Francisco's public schools for overall oral health. (Laura Klivans/KQED)

When kids don’t brush their teeth, they risk more than just cavities. Experts say tooth decay can affect a child’s diet, their ability to concentrate and do well in school and their self-esteem.

Overall, children’s oral health is getting better. But poor kids aren’t improving as much. Take San Francisco’s Chinatown, a neighborhood with the highest rate of childhood tooth decay in the city.

Laura Klivans (@lauraklivans) from Here & Now contributor KQED has the story.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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