New Articles
- Oral health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (2007) PDF
- Indigenous Australian dental health: A brief review of caries experience PDF
- Australia’s children: their health and wellbeing (1998) PDF
Please refer to pages 101-104 for kids’ dental section - J Paediatr Child Health. 2007 Mar;43(3):99-100.
Synopses of articles in PubMed:
1. Aust Dent J. 2007 Jun;52(2):86-92.
An aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander oral health curriculum framework: development experiences in Western Australia.
Bazen J, Paul D, Tennant M.
The Centre for Rural and Remote Oral Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley. Jennifer.Bazen@uwa.edu.au
Indigenous oral health is widely acknowledged as paralleling the significant issues faced in general health. It is recognized that as part of the process of addressing these issues, practitioners need to be aware of the complex nature of working in an Indigenous social and cultural context, including issues beyond direct health care services. It is against this backdrop that collaborators from The University of Western Australia’s (UWA) Centre for Rural and Remote Oral Health (CRROH) and Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health (CAMDH) developed a comprehensive, integrated Indigenous Oral Health Curriculum Framework for the Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc) course. This development was based on the existing framework developed by the Committee of Deans of Australian Medical Schools (CDAMS) for medical education but was tailored to the specific issues and needs of oral health. Additional consultation with the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia (OHCWA), the School of Indigenous Studies (SIS) as well as Indigenous Australian groups occurred to ensure the development process was inclusive. The inclusion of an Indigenous Oral Health Curriculum Framework in the BDSc will enable UWA dental graduates to practise dentistry in a culturally appropriate manner. The framework provides the structure for students to develop and demonstrate an understanding of Indigenous histories, cultures and social experiences and how these impact on Indigenous peoples’ health. It is anticipated that this will foster more positive and culturally secure patient-practitioner interactions between UWA dental graduates and Indigenous Australians, thereby making it more likely for Indigenous Australians to present for treatment. The increased awareness of Indigenous oral health issues will hopefully encourage more graduates to become involved in the treatment of Indigenous peoples. The combination of these factors could lead to an improvement in oral health outcomes for Australia’s Indigenous peoples and a concomitant positive impact on the general health of Indigenous Australians.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 17687952 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
2. Aust J Rural Health. 2004 Jun;12(3):99-103.
Anangu oral health: the status of the Indigenous population of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands.
Endean C, Roberts-Thomson K, Wooley S.
Nganampa Health Council, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
OBJECTIVE: To describe oral health in the Anangu Pitjantjatjaraku lands in South Australia and to compare with earlier surveys and national data. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: Data were collected at the time of dental care service provision, according to World Health Organization protocols, at the request of the Nganampa Health Council on optical mark reader forms. PARTICIPANTS: There were 356 Anangu adults and 317 children surveyed. RESULTS: The mean number of teeth affected by dental caries in the deciduous dentition in young children, aged 5-6 years, was double (mean 3.20) that of the overall Australian child population aged 5-6 years (mean 1.44). In contrast to the decline in deciduous caries in Australian children generally, Anangu children aged 5-9 years had a 42% increase in the mean number of teeth affected since 1987. Adults experienced low levels of dental caries, but severe periodontal disease was more prevalent among diabetics (79%) compared with-non-diabetics (13.8%). Tooth loss was found more frequently among adults with diabetes (mean 5.51) than non-diabetics (mean 1.53). CONCLUSIONS: Oral health promotion strategies, in association with general health strategies, need to be developed to improve oral health in this remote Aboriginal population.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 15200519 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
3. Bull World Health Organ. 1997;75(3):197-203.
Dental caries among Australian Aboriginal, non-Aboriginal Australian-born, and overseas-born children.
Davies MJ, Spencer AJ, Westwater A, Simmons B.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Dental Statistics, University of Adelaide, Australia.
Few studies have specifically compared the prevalence of dental caries among contemporary Australian Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. Historically, Aboriginal groups have had substantially fewer dental caries than non-Aboriginal peoples. More recently, however, this trend appears to have been reversed, with improvements in the oral health of non-Aboriginal children and a deterioration in that of Aboriginal children; this tendency has important implications for dental health services. This study compared the caries experience among a weighted sample of Community Dental Service patients aged 4-13 years for the period January-December 1992 among 4138 Aboriginal children, 9674 non-Aboriginal Australian-born children, and 957 overseas-born children resident in Northern Territory, Australia. The outcomes considered included the aggregate numbers of decayed, missing and filled deciduous (dmft) and permanent (DMFT) teeth. Oral disease experience and prevalence of untreated oral disease were higher among Aboriginal and overseas-born children. An analysis of variance using planned comparisons indicated that there were significantly more decayed teeth and higher aggregate caries experience in the deciduous and permanent dentition of Aboriginal and overseas-born children than of non-Aboriginal Australian-born children, while overseas-born children also had more fillings and fissure sealants than the non-Aboriginal Australian-born children.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 9277006 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
4. Aust Dent J. 2007 Dec;52(4):300-4.
Dental caries experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the Northern Peninsula Area, Queensland.
Hopcraft M, Chowt W.
Cooperative Research Centre for Oral Health Sciences, School of Dental Science, The University of Melbourne, Victoria. m.hopcraft@unimelb.edu.au
BACKGROUND: A survey of dental caries experience in children was undertaken in five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Northern Peninsula Area of Queensland prior to the introduction of water fluoridation. METHODS: Data were obtained from screening dental examinations conducted by the Australian Army as part of a community assistance program between May and September 2004 from 486 children aged 4-15 years. The clinical examinations were performed in a dental van using a dental chair, light, mirror and probe by a single calibrated examiner. RESULTS: Caries experience was high with a mean 6-year-old dmft of 6.37 and a mean 12-year-old DMFT of 3.50. The 6-year-old dmft Significant Caries Index (SiC) for the third of the population with the highest caries experience was 11.65 and the 12-year-old DMFT SiC was 7.08. Only 15.3 per cent of 6-year-old children had dmft = 0 and 28.9 per cent of 12-year-old children had DMFT = 0. CONCLUSIONS: Dental caries was a significant problem for these remote communities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from the Northern Peninsula Area of Queensland had more than four times the caries experience of Australian children for both 6-year-old dmft and 12-year-old DMFT.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 18265686 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
5. Community Dent Health. 2007 Dec;24(4):238-46.
Dental caries trends among indigenous and non-indigenous Australian children.
Jamieson LM, Armfield JM, Roberts-Thomson KF.
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia. lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au
OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in dental caries among indigenous and non-indigenous children in an Australian territory. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Routinely-collected data from a random selection of 6- and 12-year-old indigenous and non-indigenous children enrolled in the Northern Territory School Dental Service from 1989-2000 were obtained. The association of indigenous status with caries prevalence (percent dmft or DMFT>0 and percent dmft>3 or DMFT>1), caries severity (mean dmft or DMFT) and treatment need (percent d/dmft or D/DMFT) was examined. RESULTS: Results were obtained for 10,687 6- and 12-year old indigenous children and 21,777 6- and 12-year-old non-indigenous children from 1989-2000. Across all years, indigenous 6-year-olds had higher caries prevalence in the deciduous dentition, greater mean dmft and percent d/dmft, and indigenous 12-year-olds had greater percent D/DMFT than their non-indigenous counterparts (p<0.05). From 1996-2000 the mean dmft and percent d/dmft for indigenous 6-year-olds and mean DMFT and percent D/DMFT for indigenous 12-year-olds increased, yet remained relatively constant for their non-indigenous counterparts (p<0.05). From 1997-2000, the percent dmft>3 for 6-year-old indigenous children was more than double that of non-indigenous children, while across the period 1994-2000, indigenous 6-year-old mean dmft was more than double that of their non-indigenous counterparts (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Indigenous children in our study experienced consistently poorer oral health than non-indigenous children. The severity of dental caries among indigenous children, particularly in the deciduous dentition, appears to be increasing while that of non-indigenous children has remained constant. Our findings suggest that indigenous children carry a disproportionate amount of the dental caries burden among Northern Territory 6- and 12-year-olds.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 18246842 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
6. Aust Dent J. 1971 Feb;16(1):44-52.
Dental conditions observed in Australian aboriginal children resident in Warburton and Cundeelee missions, Western Australia (August, 1968).
Kailis DG.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 4396468 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
7. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1996 Jun;24(3):187-90.
Dental health of aboriginal pre-school children in Brisbane, Australia.
Seow WK, Amaratunge A, Bennett R, Bronsch D, Lai PY.
Department of Dentistry, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
This investigation studied the dental health status of a group of 184 Australian Aboriginal children with a mean age of 4.4 +/- 0.8 years, who were attending pre-schools in metropolitan Brisbane, a non-fluoridated state capital city. The DDE (Developmental Defects of Enamel) Index was used to chart enamel hypoplasia and enamel opacities. WHO criteria was used to diagnose dental caries. The results showed that 98% of children had at least one tooth showing developmental enamel defects. Each child had a mean of 3.8 +/- 1.7 teeth affected by enamel hypoplasia and another 1.1 +/- 0.8 teeth affected by enamel opacity. Seventy-eight percent of the children had dental caries. The mean number of decayed, missing, filled teeth (dmft) per child was 3.8 +/- 3.7. The decayed component constituted 3.5 (95%) of the mean dmft, indicating a high unmet restorative need in this group. The mean dmfs (decayed, missing, filled, surfaces) was 5.9 +/- 7.3. Maxillary anterior labial decay of at least one tooth affected 43 (23%) of the children. In this sub-group, the dmft and dmfs was 9.1 +/- 2.8 and 15.4 +/- 7.7 respectively. Oral debris was found in 98% of the children. It is hypothesized that the high levels of underlying developmental enamel defects, compounded by low fluoride exposure, poor oral hygiene and a diet high in refined sugars pose an important caries risk factor in this group of children.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 8871017 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
8. Aust J Rural Health. 2001 Jun;9(3):105-10.
Development of oral health training for rural and remote aboriginal health workers.
Pacza T, Steele L, Tennant M.
Centre for Rural and Remote Oral Health, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
Research data exists that highlight the discrepancy between the medical/dental status experienced by Aboriginal people compared with that of their non-Aboriginal counterparts. This, coupled with a health system that Aboriginal people often find alienating and difficult to access, further exacerbates the many health problems they face. Poor oral health and hygiene is an issue often overlooked that can significantly impact on a person’s quality of life. In areas where Aboriginal people find access to health services difficult, the implementation of culturally acceptable forms of primary health care confers significant benefits. The Aboriginal community has seen that the employment and training of Aboriginal health workers (AHW), particularly in rural and remote regions, is significantly beneficial in improving general health. In the present study, an oral health training program was developed and trialed. This training program was tailored to the needs of rural and remote AHWs. The primary objective was to institute a culturally appropriate basic preventative oral health delivery program at a community level. It is envisaged that through this dental training program, AHWs will be encouraged to implement long-term preventive measures at a local level to improve community dental health. They will also be encouraged to pursue other oral health-care delivery programs. Additionally, it is considered that this project will serve to strengthen a trust-based relationship between Aboriginal people and the health-care profession.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 11421960 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
9. Aust Dent J. 2006 Sep;51(3):231-6.
Hospitalization of Western Australian children for oral health related conditions: a 5-8 year follow-up.
Kruger E, Dyson K, Tennant M.
The Centre for Rural and Remote Oral Health, The University of Western Australia. ekruger@crroh.uwa.edu.au
BACKGROUND: This study investigated in-patient oral health care provision for children under 18 years of age in Western Australia. METHODS: Hospitalizations of children for oral health conditions over a four-year period were analyzed using data obtained from the Western Australian Hospital Morbidity Data System (HMDS). This study followed a previously published study examining similar data for 1995. RESULTS: Between 1999-2000 and 2002-2003, a total of 26 497 episodes of care were attributed to oral health conditions among children aged 0-17 years. The cost of this care exceeded $40 million. Embedded and impacted teeth accounted for 33.2 per cent of oral health episodes, dental caries 28.3 per cent, pulp and periapical tissue conditions 7.1 per cent and dentofacial anomalies 6.1 per cent. With the exception of the infant age group (0-1 years), non-Aboriginal children had higher admission rates than Aboriginal children. In the 13-17 year age group a non-Aboriginal child was 31 times more likely to be admitted to hospital for an oral condition than an Aboriginal child. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the impact of oral health related conditions among children in Western Australia. It is also clear that there are differences between age and population groups in terms of access to in-patient dental services and exposure to risk factors for specific oral conditions.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 17037889 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
10. Ethn Health. 2007 Jan;12(1):89-107.
Indigenous and non-indigenous child oral health in three Australian states and territories.
Jamieson LM, Armfield JM, Roberts-Thomson KF.
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia. lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au
OBJECTIVES: To explore the prevalence and severity of Indigenous and non-Indigenous child dental disease in relation to age, sex, residential location and socio-economic status in three Australian states and territories. DESIGN: Children aged 4-14 years who were enrolled in a school dental or screening service in New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory, Australia, were randomly selected to take part in this cross-sectional study. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 328,042 children were included, of which 10,517 (3.2%) were Indigenous. Some 67.1% of Indigenous children lived in rural areas and 47.3% lived in areas of high disadvantage. About 37.5% of 4- to 10-year-old Indigenous children had no experience of dental disease in the primary dentition while 70.7% of 6- to 14-year-old Indigenous children had caries-free permanent dentitions. The mean number of decayed, missing and filled primary teeth (dmft) of Indigenous 4- to 10-year-old children was 2.9 (SD; 3.4) while the mean DMFT of Indigenous 6- to 14-year-old children was 0.8 (SD; 1.6). Across all age-groups, Indigenous children living in the most deprived areas had higher dmft and DMFT levels than their more socially advantaged counterparts, while rural-dwelling Indigenous children had higher levels of dental disease experience than metropolitan-dwelling Indigenous children. After adjusting for potential confounding, Indigenous children aged 4-10 years were over twice as likely to have caries in the deciduous dentition than similarly aged non-Indigenous children (OR: 2.25, CI: 2.14-2.36), and 6- to 14-year-old Indigenous children were over one and a half times more likely to have decay in the permanent dentition (OR: 1.68, CI: 1.60-1.77) than their non-Indigenous counterparts. CONCLUSION: Indigenous children experienced higher caries prevalence and severity than non-Indigenous children, irrespective of other socio-demographic factors. Factors concerning Indigenous social capital may have influenced our findings.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 17132586 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
11. J Paediatr Child Health. 2007 Mar;43(3):117-21.
Comment in:
Indigenous child oral health at a regional and state level.
Jamieson LM, Parker EJ, Armfield JM.
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, South Australia, Australia. lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au
AIM: To compare the dental disease experience of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in South Australia’s mid-north region (regional area) and to assess Indigenous oral health differences at a regional- and state-level. METHODS: Data were collected from a School Dental Service based in an Aboriginal-owned medical health service and standard school dental clinics in the regional area from March 2001 to March 2006. State-level data were obtained over a 12-month period in 2003. Caries prevalence (per cent dmft or DMFT >0) and severity (mean dmft or DMFT, SiC and SiC10) measures were used to assess dental disease experience. RESULTS: In the regional area, Indigenous children aged <10 years had 1.6, 1.9, 1.6 and 1.4 times the percent dmft >0, mean dmft, SiC primary and SiC(10) primary, respectively, of their non-Indigenous counterparts, while Indigenous children aged 6+ years had 1.3, 1.7, 1.7 and 1.6 times the percent DMFT > 0, mean DMFT, SiC permanent and SiC10 permanent, respectively, of non-Indigenous children. Indigenous children in the regional area had significantly higher caries prevalence and severity than Indigenous children at a state-level. CONCLUSION: Indigenous children in South Australia’s mid-north region are dentally disadvantaged in comparison with their non-Indigenous counterparts and with the general South Australian Indigenous child population.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 17316183 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
12. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2006 Sep;16(5):327-34.
Indigenous children and receipt of hospital dental care in Australia.
Jamieson LM, Roberts-Thomson KF.
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia. lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate dental procedures received under hospital general anaesthetic by indigenous and non-indigenous Australian children in 2002-2003. METHODS: Separation data from 1297 public and private hospitals were obtained from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Hospital Morbidity Database for 2002-2003. The dependant variable was the admission rate of children receiving four categories of dental care (i.e. extraction, pulpal, restoration or other). The explanatory variables included sex, age group, indigenous status and location (i.e. major city, regional or remote). Rates were calculated using estimated resident population counts. RESULTS: The sample included 24 874 children aged from 2 to 14 years. Some 4.3% were indigenous (n = 1062). Admission rates for indigenous and non-indigenous children were similar, with indigenous males having 1.2 times the admission rate of indigenous females (P < 0.05). Indigenous children aged < 5 years had 1.4 times the admission rate of similarly aged non-indigenous children (P < 0.001) and 5.0 times the admission rate of 10-14-year-old indigenous children (P < 0.001). Remote-living indigenous children had 1.5 times the admission rate of their counterparts in major cities or regional areas (P < 0.001), and 1.4 times the admission rate of remote-living non-indigenous children (P < 0.01). The extraction rate of indigenous males was 1.3 times that of non-indigenous males (P < 0.01), and 1.2 times that of indigenous females (P < 0.05). Pre-school indigenous children had 2.2 times the extraction rate of similarly aged non-indigenous children (P < 0.001), and 5.3 times that of indigenous 10-14-year-olds (P < 0.001). The extraction rate of remotely located indigenous children was 1.5 times that of indigenous children in major cities (P < 0.01), and 1.8 times that of remote-living non-indigenous children (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In certain strata – particularly males, the very young and those in remote locations – indigenous children experienced higher rates of extractions than non-indigenous children when undergoing care in a hospital dental general anaesthetic setting.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 16879329 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
13. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1980 Oct;8(7):365-9.
Oral conditions in Australian children of Aboriginal and Caucasian descent.
Schamschula RG, Cooper MH, Adkins BL, Barmes DE, Agus HM.
Oral health parameters were examined for 211 schoolchildren (128 Aborigines and 83 Caucasians) representative of the 6–8 and 10–11 year age groups in the Brewarrina and Walgett areas of western New South Wales (fluoride in water less than or equal to 0.02-0.26 parts/10(6)). Despite similar dietary carbohydrate challenge and tooth eruption patterns, Aboriginal children, most of whom were members of a transitional community within a low socioeconomic stratum, had higher prevalence of caries (DIMFT) and severity rating of carious lesions (SR), poorer oral hygiene (OHI) and more gingivitis (PI) than Caucasian children, in both age groups. Tooth defects were more frequent (2.5 times) and severe in Aborigines than in Caucasians. Outstanding treatment needs were very high in both ethnic groups, but more so in Aborigines.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 6937283 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
14. Aust Dent J. 2000 Sep;45(3):204-7.
Oral health and hospitalization in Western Australian children.
Tennant M, Namjoshi D, Silva D, Codde J.
School of Oral Health Sciences, University of Western Australia.
Over the past 20 years, the prevalence of dental disease in Western Australian children has diminished. The causes of this significant improvement in health are associated with better care models, water fluoridation and changes in lifestyle. In this study, the authors examine the reasons for hospitalization for oral health conditions in Western Australia for the calendar year 1995 using the Health Department of WA database. A total of 3,754 episodes of care (4,395 bed days) was recorded for dental conditions. Dental caries resulted in the fifth and sixth highest number of episodes of hospitalization in preschool (1-4 years) and primary-school age (5-12 years) children respectively. Abnormal tooth eruption resulted in the highest number of episodes of hospitalization in high-school age (13-17 years) children. From the age-stratified rates of hospitalization (per 1000), non-Aboriginal children were more than twice as likely to enter hospital for dental related conditions. The primary cause of this is the 15 times higher rate of hospitalization for high-school age non-Aboriginal children which clearly reflects the greater use of services for impacted third molars by the metropolitan non-Aboriginal community. Examination of the distribution by health service region revealed the hospitalization rate was significantly less than the state average for the Kimberley, Pilbara, Northern Goldfields and Wanneroo regions. These data reflect the paucity of oral health care available to residents of these regions, particularly the northwest, and does not reflect a diminished burden of disease. Similarly, the rate of hospitalization for Aboriginal children reflects population and service delivery differences particularly in regional and remote WA. These data highlight the need to develop new strategies in oral health care to target ‘at risk’ groups in the community, particularly new parents of young children. The preventive measures associated with good oral health in children are clearly aligned with those for good general health and can be integrated into existing health messages.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 11062939 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
15. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2006 Aug;34(4):267-76.
Comment in:
• J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2007 Sep;7(3):136-7.
Oral health inequalities among indigenous and nonindigenous children in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Jamieson LM, Armfield JM, Roberts-Thomson KF.
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia. lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au
OBJECTIVE: To describe oral health inequalities among indigenous and nonindigenous children in the Northern Territory of Australia using an area-based measure of socioeconomic status (SES). METHODS: Data were obtained from indigenous and nonindigenous 4-13-year-old children enrolled in the Northern Territory School Dental Service in 2002-2003. The Socio-Economic Indices For Areas (SEIFA) were used to determine socioeconomic relationships with dental disease experience. RESULTS: Some 12,584 children were examined, 35.1% of whom were indigenous. Across all age-groups, socially disadvantaged indigenous children experienced higher mean dmft and DMFT levels than their similarly aged, similarly disadvantaged nonindigenous counterparts. Indigenous children aged 5 years had almost four times the dmft of their nonindigenous counterparts in the same disadvantage category (P < 0.05), while indigenous children aged 10 years had almost five times the DMFT of similarly disadvantaged nonindigenous children (P < 0.05). A distinct social gradient was apparent among indigenous and nonindigenous children, respectively, whereby those with the highest dmft/DMFT levels were in the most disadvantaged SES category and those least disadvantaged had the lowest dmft/DMFT levels. In most age-groups, indigenous children who were least disadvantaged had worse oral health than the most disadvantaged nonindigenous children. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that indigenous status and SES have strong oral health outcome correlations but are not mutually dependent, that is, indigenous status influences oral health outcomes irrespective of social disadvantage. From a health policy perspective, greater oral health gains may be possible by concentrating public health and clinical effort among all indigenous children irrespective of SES status.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 16856947 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
16. Med J Aust. 2008 May 19;188(10):592-3.
Oral health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Roberts-Thomson KF, Spencer AJ, Jamieson LM.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 18484934 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
17. Aust Dent J. 2004 Sep;49(3):151-3.
Oral health of Aboriginal Australians.
Roberts-Thomson K
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 15497360 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
18. Int Dent J. 1984 Dec;34(4):271-7.
Oral health status and tradition in Australia.
Wall CH.
In the past 30 years, dental health in Australia has undergone a marked improvement. This improvement has been paralleled by a significant change in attitudes to many aspects of dental health and in consequent behaviour. The caries experience of the younger Australian is now about one-third of that of his older counterpart. Two-thirds of the Australian population drink fluoridated water and there is widespread use of fluoridated dentifrices. Hence, the DMFT of 12 year olds is already approaching the target level of 3 for the year 2000, compared with a level of over 10 just 30 years ago. Edentulousness is still a problem, as evidenced by a rate of 68 per cent in those aged 45-64. With the increased retention of teeth in the young there is every expectation that this rate will be reduced significantly with time. Among the problem groups the aboriginal population, particularly those described as ‘transitional’, show all the ravages created by very high sucrose intake. To formulate plans to combat this a study of aboriginal dental health has been proposed.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 6597134 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
19. Aust Dent J. 2005 Dec;50(4):258-62.
Pre-school child oral health in rural Western Australia.
Kruger E, Dyson K, Tennant M.
The Centre for Rural and Remote Oral Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley. ekruger@crroh.uwa.edu.au
BACKGROUND: In light of the various challenges faced by public dental health services, especially when large geographical areas and isolated communities are concerned, targeting of high risk groups within these populations needs to be investigated. This study aimed to assess caries experience, dental health behaviour and dental service utilization among a sample of pre-school children in a rural community in Western Australia. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional oral health survey of pre-school children between the ages of 2 and 5 in Carnarvon, Western Australia. RESULTS: In total, 70 pre-school children (representing approximately 15 per cent of the total 2-5 year old population of Carnarvon) were examined. Less than half of the children were caries free. Both caries prevalence and severity (mean dmft) were significantly higher among Aboriginal children than non-Aboriginal children. Caries prevalence and severity were also significantly higher among children who often consumed carbonated drinks. CONCLUSIONS: This survey indicates that some pre-school children in rural areas, and especially Aboriginal pre-school children, are at high risk of developing dental caries. Effective oral health programs commencing well before the usual first contact with dental services at age 5 are needed for young children at high risk of dental caries.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 17016892 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
20. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2005 Oct;29(5):477-83.
Public water fluoridation and dental health in New South Wales.
Armfield JM.
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, University of Adelaide, South Australia. jason.armfield@adelaide.edu.au
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether access to fluoridated public water in New South Wales (NSW) is related to both a reduction in caries experience within NSW regions and to better dental health for disadvantaged children. METHODS: Cross-sectional population data on children attending the School Dental Service in NSW in 2000 were used to calculate and compare the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft/ DMFT) across areas of differing availability of fluoridated water within NSW Area Health Service (AHS) regions. Analyses were also undertaken looking at differences in caries between optimally fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities across strata of socio-economic disadvantage and by Indigenous status. RESULTS: A total sample of 248,944 children aged 3-15 years was obtained. Caries experience in the deciduous dentition of 5-6 year-olds and the permanent dentition of 11-12 year-olds was significantly lower for children in fluoridated areas than nonfluoridated areas in six of the eight AHSs and six of the 10 AHSs respectively where comparisons could be made. Children living in fluoridated areas had lower caries experience than children living in nonfluoridated areas, regardless of socio-economic disadvantage. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children had reduced caries experience in fluoridated compared with non-fluoridated areas. CONCLUSIONS: Water fluoridation was found to be related to significantly reduced caries experience in the majority of AHSs where comparisons could be made, and to benefit all socio-economic strata of the community. Implications: Water fluoridation should be extended to those areas of NSW that are yet to benefit from this successful caries preventive public health initiative.
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 16255452 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE])
21. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2007 Sep;7(3):136-7.
Comment on:
• Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2006 Aug;34(4):267-76.
Social inequalities may lead to higher caries experience among indigenous children in the Northern Territory of Australia.
López R.
Department of Community Oral Health and Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 9, DK-Aarhus 8000 C, Denmark. rlopez@odont.au.dk
Order the article through PubMed (PMID: 17967401 [PubMed])
22. J Public Health Dent. 2006 Spring;66(2):123-30.
The role of location in indigenous and non-indigenous child oral health.
Jamieson LM, Armfield JM, Roberts-Thomson KF.
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia. lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au
OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of location in Indigenous and non-indigenous child oral health in three Australian states and territories. The association of Indigenous status and residential location with caries prevalence, severity and unmet treatment need was examined. METHODS: Data were collected as part of a national monitoring survey of 4-14-year-old children enrolled in school dental services in New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory, Australia. RESULTS: Of the 326,099 children examined, 10,473 (3.2%) were Indigenous. Fewer 4-10-year-old rural Indigenous children were caries-free in the deciduous dentition than their non-indigenous counterparts and rural Indigenous children had almost twice the mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft) of rural non-indigenous children. The % d/dmft was higher among rural Indigenous children than rural nonIndigenous children. Fewer 6-14-year-old rural Indigenous children were caries-free in the permanent dentition than their non-indigenous counterparts and rural Indigenous children had almost twice the mean DMFT of rural non-Indigenous children. The % D/DMFT was higher in rural Indigenous than rural non-indigenous children. Living in a rural location was the strongest indicator of caries prevalence; severity and unmet treatment need in the deciduous dentition of Indigenous 4-10-year-olds while being socially disadvantaged was the strongest indicator of poor oral health outcomes among older Indigenous and all non-Indigenous children. CONCLUSIONS: Living in a rural location exhibited the strongest association with poor oral health outcomes for young Indigenous children but was also associated with poorer oral health among older Indigenous and non-Indigenous children.
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