Report on dental health of Australian children

Australia is ranked in the top third of OECD countries for the dental health of children, according to a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The report, Headline indicators for children’s health, development and wellbeing 2011, devotes a chapter to dental health.
The report found:
• The prevalence of caries in Australian children over the past 20 years has decreased but risk factors associated with diet, hygiene and oral care remain
• Cost, access and parental awareness may contribute to children not having an oral examination until they enrol in school dental services at the age of five years
• Poor dental health is associated with low socio-economic status, one-parent families, younger or less-educated mothers, ethnicity and living in rural/remote areas. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are particularly at risk, having twice as much untreated decay as other children
• Children living in regional and remote areas are at increased risk of dental decay compared to those living in major cities
• Girls had a slightly higher mean decay, missing or filled teeth (DMFT) than boys. This could be explained by the earlier eruption of teeth among girls resulting in a longer period of exposure to decay-causing factors
• The prevalence of dental decay is lower in areas where fluoride is naturally present in the water supply or where fluoride has been added.