North East Oral Health Survey

The number of children aged 0-5 years, living in the North East, increased by 22.2% between 1996 and 2002. This age group is not currently targeted for routine care by the Public Dental Service in the North East.

Five-year-old children living in the North East have not yet achieved the oral health goals set out in the 1994 national health strategy Shaping a Healthier Future. In fluoridated areas in 2002, 59% of 5-year-olds had no decay experience(goal 85%) and in non-fluoridated areas, 49% of children had no decay experience (goal 60%).

In the North-East as a whole, 41% of five year-olds in fluoridated areas and 51% of those in non-fluoridated areas had experienced tooth decay. Over 80% of the decay was untreated.

The level of decay in 5-year-old children in the North East was significantly lower in children living in areas with water fluoridation compared to children living in non-fluoridated areas (p<0.0001). Children living in fluoridated areas had, on average, 1.4 decayed, missing or filled teeth. In non-fluoridated areas, children had, on average, 2.1 decayed, missing or filled teeth. There has been no change in decay levels in this age group in the North East as a whole since 1995.

Levels of decay were significantly in 5-year-old children who were disadvantaged, as measured by parental medical card ownership (p=0.004). However, disadvantaged children living in fluoridated areas had less decay than disadvantaged children living in non-fluoridated areas.

Oral health inequalities exist between Community Care Area (now Local Health Office areas) within the North East, with Louth/South Monaghan and Cavan/Monaghan having a greater burden of dental disease in 5-year-olds compared to Meath.

Oral health inequalities also exist within Community Care Areas. The most marked example of this is in Meath, where the average decay experience of 5-year-old children in the Nobber area (meanvdmft = 2.49) was more than two and a half times that of children in the Dunboyne area (mean vdmft = 0.88).

Less than half (45%) of 5-year-olds brushed their teeth twice a day, and over one third of them (37%) received no help with toothbrushing.

The decay levels of 5-year-olds in this study who brushed their teeth twice a day or more were significantly lower than those who brushed once a day or less (p=0.010).

Two out of five children (41%) used more than the recommended amount of toothpaste for this age group.

Children who were breastfed as infants had significantly lower levels of decay than children who had not been breastfed (p=0.02).

The age at which children were weaned from their baby bottle was significantly associated with decay levels. Children who were older than 2 years of age when they were weaned from their bottle had higher decay levels that those who were weaned before 12 months of age (p=0.03).

Nineteen per cent of 5-year-olds in the North East consumed sweet food or drinks between meals three or more times a day. Decay levels in these children were significantly higher than decay levels in children who consumed sweet food or drinks less frequently (p=0.003).

Almost one in 5 children had at least one first permanent molar present in the mouth at five years of age.

The majority (69%) of 5-year-old children in this survey had never been to the dentist. However, of those children who did attend the dentist, one child in three did so because of pain or an obvious dental treatment need. These children have been identified from this survey as a high risk group for tooth decay.

Parents felt strongly that children should be seen at a younger age by the Public Dental Service and that more information should be made available to them about treatment services and about oral health education/promotion.

Posted 03.01.2008