Fewer young people in the US reportedly have dental caries, but minority children continue to have higher rates when compared to their peers, according to a data brief the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in April.

The prevalence of caries declined from 50% in 2012 to a little over 43% in 2016 among young people in the US aged between 2-19, according to the data, which is taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Hispanic youth had the highest report of total and untreated caries (52%) compared with black (44.3%), Asian (42.6%), and white youth (39%). However, untreated cavities were highest among black youth (17.1%), followed by Hispanic (13.5%), white (11.7%), and Asian youth (10.5%).

Prevalence of caries increased with age, from 17.7% among youth aged 2-5 to 45.2% among those aged 6-11 and 53.5% among those aged 12-19.

The CDC also noted how income level affects the prevalence of caries. As family income levels increased, the prevalence of total dental caries decreased, from 51.8% for youth from families living below federal poverty to 34.2% for kids from families with income levels greater than 300% of the federal poverty guideline. Untreated cavities decreased from 18.6% for kids from families living below the federal poverty level to 7% for those with families with incomes greater than 300% of the poverty level. In 2016, $24,300 in annual income was considered the poverty guideline for a family of 4, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.