Many Australians foregoing dental care
A new dental health report shows one in five people are foregoing dental treatment because they can't afford it, says federal opposition health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon.The 300-page report, called the National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004-06, was released by federal Health Minister Tony Abbott at the Australian Dental Congress in Sydney on Sunday.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare survey concludes that children born after 1970, when fluoridated water became popular, have only half the level of decay the previous generation had developed by the time they were young adults.
The survey of more than 14,500 Australians aged 15-98 years found that just 16 per cent rated their oral health as fair or poor.
Overall, only six per cent had lost all their natural teeth, compared to 14 per cent in the first national oral health survey two decades ago.
And people born between 1970 and 1990 had an average of 4.5 teeth affected by decay, compared more than 24 teeth for those born before 1930.
But Ms Roxon said the report showed that more than a fifth (20.6 per cent) of Australians aged 15 or over "had foregone recommended dental treatment due to cost in the last 12 months".
"Over 40 per cent of the Australian population aged 15 and over had not visited a dentist within the last 12 months," she said.
She added that 11.8 per cent of Australians over 15 had not visited a dentist in five years.
"(And) uninsured people are 1.6 times more likely to have untreated dental decay than insured people, and they are three times more likely to have not visited their dentist in the last five years.
"Despite these worrying figures, all Tony Abbott did today when launching the report is look to the states to fix the problems.
"Once again, he made it clear the Howard government would not establish a commonwealth dental scheme," Ms Roxon said.
The Australian Dental Association (ADA) said the report showed water fluoridation helped prevent dental decay.
But it said dental waiting lists were too long and commonwealth funding was needed to help the disadvantaged.
"There is a perception that dental treatment is beyond the means of many Australians," ADA president Dr John Matthews said.
"For low income and disadvantaged Australians, the elderly, indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Australians and people living in rural and remote areas, access to basic dental care is poor.
"The ADA is supportive of commonwealth funding for the delivery of care to those Australians in genuine need.
"Waiting lists for the financially disadvantaged are outrageously long - in some cases three years, and the ADA continues to lobby governments to redress this."
He added that there "is a clear link between oral and general health. The needs of all Australians have to be met in this area".
Researcher Professor Gary Slade said the report's results were hard proof fluoridation improved teeth for life.
"These results provide the first evidence within the Australian population that drinking fluoridated water during childhood translates into significantly better dental health in adulthood," Prof Slade said.
Since 1970 improvement in dental health has occurred in non fluoridated countries.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare survey concludes that children born after 1970, when fluoridated water became popular, have only half the level of decay the previous generation had developed by the time they were young adults.
The survey of more than 14,500 Australians aged 15-98 years found that just 16 per cent rated their oral health as fair or poor.
Overall, only six per cent had lost all their natural teeth, compared to 14 per cent in the first national oral health survey two decades ago.
And people born between 1970 and 1990 had an average of 4.5 teeth affected by decay, compared more than 24 teeth for those born before 1930.
But Ms Roxon said the report showed that more than a fifth (20.6 per cent) of Australians aged 15 or over "had foregone recommended dental treatment due to cost in the last 12 months".
"Over 40 per cent of the Australian population aged 15 and over had not visited a dentist within the last 12 months," she said.
She added that 11.8 per cent of Australians over 15 had not visited a dentist in five years.
"(And) uninsured people are 1.6 times more likely to have untreated dental decay than insured people, and they are three times more likely to have not visited their dentist in the last five years.
"Despite these worrying figures, all Tony Abbott did today when launching the report is look to the states to fix the problems.
"Once again, he made it clear the Howard government would not establish a commonwealth dental scheme," Ms Roxon said.
The Australian Dental Association (ADA) said the report showed water fluoridation helped prevent dental decay.
But it said dental waiting lists were too long and commonwealth funding was needed to help the disadvantaged.
"There is a perception that dental treatment is beyond the means of many Australians," ADA president Dr John Matthews said.
"For low income and disadvantaged Australians, the elderly, indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Australians and people living in rural and remote areas, access to basic dental care is poor.
"The ADA is supportive of commonwealth funding for the delivery of care to those Australians in genuine need.
"Waiting lists for the financially disadvantaged are outrageously long - in some cases three years, and the ADA continues to lobby governments to redress this."
He added that there "is a clear link between oral and general health. The needs of all Australians have to be met in this area".
Researcher Professor Gary Slade said the report's results were hard proof fluoridation improved teeth for life.
"These results provide the first evidence within the Australian population that drinking fluoridated water during childhood translates into significantly better dental health in adulthood," Prof Slade said.
Since 1970 improvement in dental health has occurred in non fluoridated countries.
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