Oral health improving but ...

The oral health and dental care of Australians has improved over the long term; however some of the positive trends since the 1970s may be reversing, according to a new report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

The report, Oral health and dental care in Australia: key facts and figures trends 2014, highlights key trends in the oral health and dental care of the Australian population using the most recently available data.

It shows there are some areas where improvements made in the past have either plateaued or have begun to head in a negative direction.

For example, from 1977 to 1995, there was a steady drop in the average number of children's baby teeth affected by decay. This trend had now reversed, with a gradual rise from 1996. The proportion of people aged 15 and over who made a dental visit in the previous 12 months rose from 56% to 62% between 1994 and 2010.