♪ A new survey finds high rate of dental decay for Kentucky children between the ages of 2, 5, The early learners oral health Surveillance Project's findings come as a Republican state lawmaker is planning to once again introduced legislation that would remove a mandate that fluoride be added to drinking water.

Pamela Stein, a professor at UK says anecdotal reports from Dennis around the state pushed them to implement the survey.

More in tonight's look at medical news.

>> Our goal was to screen children in all 120 Kentucky counties.

We almost made it.

We screened in 106 of our 120 counties.

And we screen 6,600 children.

So dental decay sometimes called cavities.

Sometimes called Kerry's by dental professional.

We usually caught dental caries.

It's an infectious process.

So it's caused by a bacteria in the mouth that from its sugars that we eat to create an acid.

And that has said eventually weaken cities in creates a cavity and actual hole in that he's what we found is the overall rate for all children in Kentucky.

Was 34.6, basically 35% of our 2 to 5 year-olds across Kentucky had experienced the K. Kerry's experience is how we did know did it so that meant either they had a cavity that had been filled or the have current decay that needs to be treated.

The national survey found the right to be 23%.

So 23% for the national average where they looked at all children just like she did not a specific group versus are 34.6 we could rounded up to 35.

So that's a pretty big disparity right there.

And then when you look at the last national survey of 2 to 5 year-olds did look just at children who are below the poverty level.

And that right was 33%.

So our overall rate is tracking with the national rate of children in poverty.

And we found that the 2 regions in Kentucky that had the highest rate of decay.

Where the east and eastern region of Kentucky and the South central region of Kentucky.

Those 2 regions had the highest Kerry's experience, meaning untreated decay are treated to K as well as the highest rate of untreated decay.

In addition and potentially even more concerning is our rates of untreated decay.

That means the children who have a cavity that has been treated and could potentially be infectious or be an abscess.

And then when you look at our data versus the National data are untreated decay is twice the rate of the national data for children of the same age.

So that can mean a variety of things.

It can be and access to care problem.

90.

>> 5.96% of Kentucky children have dental insurance.

>> So that sounds like a really good thing.

But then when you think about the type of insurance they have over 50% of the children in Kentucky have Medicaid or CHIP.

And we don't have that many providers for that type of insurance.

It's an issue in terms of self esteem not having nice tee is a is a problem for smiling and talking feeling good about yourself.

Not only as a child but also into adulthood.

It can be a problem in getting a job if you don't have teeth or you have poor teeth.

Reporter all health, it can lead to a number of systemic illnesses.

We have a very high rate diabetes in Kentucky and there is really good evidence that oral infections contribute to poor sugar control.

So it's really a bi-directional relationship.

Their diabetes makes oral infections, worst oral infections, make diabetes control, worse, and I could go on and on about all of the different relationships between oral health and our overall health.

But it is important to set the child up for success in terms of the oral health for a lifetime of oral health.

>> Stein recommends parents and caregivers should get their child to the dentist by the child's first birthday.

Parents should make sure their child is brushing their teeth twice a day and parents should be watching their child's diet, particularly food items with