Oral health trends among adult public dental patients

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Release Date: 19 Feb 2004

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AIHW

AIHW, Brennan, Spencer J (2004) Oral health trends among adult public dental patients, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 20 April 2024.

APA

AIHW, Brennan, Spencer J. (2004). Oral health trends among adult public dental patients. Canberra: AIHW.

MLA

AIHW, Brennan, Spencer J. Oral health trends among adult public dental patients. AIHW, 2004.

Vancouver

AIHW, Brennan, Spencer J. Oral health trends among adult public dental patients. Canberra: AIHW; 2004.

Harvard

AIHW, Brennan, Spencer J 2004, Oral health trends among adult public dental patients, AIHW, Canberra.

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This publication presents findings on edentulism (complete tooth loss), dental caries (decay) and periodontal (gum) disease among public dental patients between 1995-96 and 2001-02. Adults eligible for public dental care are primarily persons on low incomes who hold government entitlement cards such as aged pensioners and the unemployed.

ISSN: 1321 0254
ISBN: 978 1 74024 359 9
Cat. no: DEN 127
Pages: 68

Summary

Edentulism

While the percentage of edentulous patients was slightly higher overall in 2001–02 (9.0%) compared to 1995–96 (7.9%), there were no significant age-specific differences in edentulism, indicating that the overall difference may be a result of the slightly older age distribution and greater percentage of patients from regional locations in 2001–02 than in 1995–96.

Overall, there were no differences in edentulism between 1995–96 and 2001–02 for either general or emergency patients.

Overall, there were no differences in edentulism between 1995–96 and 2001–02 for patients from either major city or regional/remote locations.

Caries experience

Decayed teeth

Overall, the number of decayed teeth was higher in 2001–02 (2.65 decayed teeth) compared to 1995–96 (1.97 decayed teeth) and this trend was observed consistently in each age group of adult public dental patients.

Higher numbers of decayed teeth in 2001–02 compared to 1995–96 were observed for both general and emergency care patients overall and in all age groups.

Patients from major city locations had higher overall numbers of decayed teeth in 2001–02 compared to 1995–96, reflecting increased levels of decayed teeth among patients aged 18–24, 25–44 and 45–64 years, while patients from regional/remote locations had higher overall numbers of decayed teeth in 2001–02 compared to 1995–96, reflecting increased levels of decayed teeth among patients aged 25–44 and 65+ years.

Missing teeth

Overall, the number of missing teeth was higher in 2001–02 (6.35 missing teeth) compared to 1995–96 (5.50 missing teeth) but this trend was only statistically significant among 25–44-year-old patients.

General care patients had higher numbers of missing teeth overall in 2001–02 compared to 1995–96, reflecting increased numbers of missing teeth among

25–44-year-olds. Among emergency care patients the number of teeth missing overall did not vary between 2001–02 and 1995–96, but 25–44-year-old patients showed increased numbers of missing teeth.

Patients from major city locations showed no significant difference in the overall number of missing teeth between 2001–02 and 1995–96, with higher numbers of missing teeth over time among 25–44-year-olds balanced by lower numbers among 65+-year-olds. Patients from regional/remote locations showed higher overall numbers of missing teeth in 2001–02 compared to 1995–96, reflecting increased numbers of missing teeth among 25–44, 45–64 and 65+-year-olds.

Filled teeth

Overall, the number of filled teeth was lower in 2001–02 (6.20 filled teeth) compared to 1995–96 (6.62 filled teeth) and this trend was statistically significant among patients aged 18–24 and 25–44 years.

General care patients showed no significant difference in overall numbers of filled teeth between 2001–02 and 1995–96 but 18–24 and 25–44-year-old general care patients each showed decreased numbers of filled teeth over time. Emergency care patients had lower numbers of filled teeth in 2001–02 compared to 1995–96, reflecting decreased numbers of filled teeth over time among 18–24 and 25–44-year-old emergency care patients.

Patients from major city locations showed no significant difference in the overall number of filled teeth between 2001–02 and 1995–96. However, there were decreased numbers of filled teeth over time among 25–44-year-olds and increased numbers among 65+-year-olds. Patients from regional/remote locations had lower overall numbers of filled teeth over time, reflecting decreases among 18–24, 25–44 and 45–64-year-olds.

DMF teeth

Overall, DMFT was higher in 2001–02 (15.20 decayed, missing and filled teeth) compared to 1995–96 (14.09 decayed, missing and filled teeth) but this trend was only statistically significant among 25–44-year-old patients.

Both general and emergency care patients had higher overall combined numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth in 2001–02 compared to 1995–96, reflecting increased combined numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth among 25–44-year-old general and emergency care patients.

Patients from both major city and regional/remote locations had higher overall combined numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth in 2001–02 compared to 1995–96, reflecting increased combined numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth among 25–44-year-old patients from major city locations and increased combined numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth among 45–64 and 65+-year-old patients from regional/remote locations.

Periodontal status

Overall, there was an improvement in periodontal status of adult public dental patients over time, with a decrease in the percentage of patients who had periodontal pockets of 6+ mm in 2001–02 (10.3%) compared to 1995–96 (13.0%).

Decreased percentages of patients with periodontal pockets of 6+ mm in 2001–02 compared to 1995–96 were observed for both general and emergency care patients.

While patients from major city locations exhibited a trend towards decreased percentages of patients with periodontal pockets of 6+ mm over time, there was an increase in the percentage of patients with periodontal pockets of 6+ mm among patients from regional/remote locations.