Abstract
This study was conducted to describe the distribution and trends in dental caries, periodontal disease and tooth loss in Australian adults based on the findings of the National Study of Adult Oral Health 2017–18. A cross-sectional study of a random sample of Australians aged 15+ years was carried out, employing a three-stage stratified probability sampling design. Data were collected via online survey/telephone interviews using a questionnaire to elicit self-reported information about oral health and related characteristics. Participants were then invited to have an oral examination, conducted by calibrated dental practitioners following a standardised protocol in public dental clinics. A total of 15,731 Australians aged 15+ years were interviewed, of which 5022 dentate participants were orally examined. Results showed that nearly one third of Australian adults had at least one tooth surface with untreated dental caries and, on average, 29.7 decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces per person. Almost 29% of adults presented with gingivitis while the overall prevalence of periodontitis was 30.1%. Overall, 4% of adults were edentulous while, on average, 4.4 teeth were lost due to pathology. Poorer oral health was evident in Australians from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, indicating socioeconomic inequalities in oral health. Time trends revealed that dental caries experience and tooth retention of Australian adults has improved over 30 years, while periodontal health has deteriorated between 2004–06 and 2017–18. These findings can be used to assist policy makers in planning and implementing future oral healthcare programs.
Highlights
Oral health has been defined as “a state of being free from mouth and facial pain, oral diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking and psychosocial well-being” [1]
The present study aims at describing the distribution and time trends of dental caries, periodontal disease and tooth loss in Australian adults based on findings from the National Study of Adult Oral Health 2017–18 (NSAOH 2017–18)
The findings of the present study indicate that overall levels of dental caries and tooth loss among Australian adults have considerably declined over the past three decades
Summary
Oral health has been defined as “a state of being free from mouth and facial pain, oral diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking and psychosocial well-being” [1]. According to the new definition, oral health is multi-faceted and includes the ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow and convey a range of emotions through facial expressions with confidence and without pain, discomfort, and disease of the craniofacial complex, as well as being a fundamental component of general health and physical and mental wellbeing [2,3]. While proponents of this new definition aimed to reach consensus on a universal definition of oral health, this has not eventuated [4]. Global oral health aims to provide optimal oral health for all and to eradicate global health inequalities via health promotion, disease prevention and appropriate oral care strategies that incorporate common factors and resolutions, and recognise that oral health is integral to overall health [4]
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