Complete tooth loss, or edentulism, decreased for Australians in
the late 1990s, but dental problems in general increased,
particularly for government concession card-holders, according to a
report published today by the Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare (AIHW).
The report, Oral Health and Access to Dental Care-1994-96
and 1999, shows that the mean number of missing teeth also
decreased, as did denture use, but this was not the case for adults
who were government concession card-holders.
Director of the AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit,
Professor John Spencer, said that the evidence indicated that
card-holders were experiencing more dental problems than
before.
'Our survey figures show that health card-holders in particular
are experiencing more toothache, discomfort with dental appearance
and avoidance of particular foods in 1999 than in 1994-96',
Professor Spencer said.
'The report also shows that while the overall percentage of
adults visiting dentists changed little from 1994-96 to 1999,
access to dental care by card-holders has deteriorated.
'Of the eligible card-holders who received dental care in 1999,
less than 40% had their last dental visit at a public clinic, while
the remaining 60% sought care at a private dentist at their own
expense, even though they were eligible for public treatment.
'Affordability is an issue. In 1999, 39.3% of card-holders who
last visited a public clinic said cost had prevented them from
proceeding with recommended or wanted dental treatment in the
previous 12 months.
'This was a marked increase on the 28.2% figure for 1994-96.
Card-holders are less likely to have dental insurance to help cover
costs.'
Professor Spencer said it was also a concern that a slight
reduction in the percentage of adults receiving fillings in the
previous 12 months (49% down to 46%) was unlikely to be due to a
reduction in dental disease. This was because the percentage of
people receiving extractions had risen (from 14% to 17%).
The rise in extractions was particularly pronounced in
25-44-year-olds (14% rising to 19%) and among card-holders (16% to
23% for private treatment, and 30% to 33% for publicly-funded
treatment).
'There is a need to intervene in the high rate of extractions in
young adults and health-card holders if the oral health of adults
is to be improved', Professor Spencer said.
20 March 2001
Further information:
Professor John Spencer, DSRU, 08 8303 5438; 0412 220
859
Kaye Roberts-Thomson, DSRU, 08 8303 4454
Media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability, or the Dental Statistics and
Research Unit website for a
PDF version.