The Role of Location in Indigenous and Non‐Indigenous Child Oral Health

Abstract

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. 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. 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. 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.