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Objective: To assess dental caries trends in indigenous children in South Australia, 2001-2010; and contribution by area-level socioeconomic status (SES), remoteness and water fluoridation status.Methods: This study is a part of the Child Dental Health Survey (CDHS) is an ongoing national surveillance survey in Australia including children enrolled in the School Dental Services (SDS). Postcode-level adjusted mean deciduous and permanent caries experience was estimated at each year. Time trend of dental caries experience was estimated using mixed effect models. Area-level socioeconomic status, remoteness, water fluoridation status were independent variables in the models.Results: There was a significant upward trend of dental caries experience over the 10 years. Dental caries experience of indigenous children living in low SES areas had nearly one more deciduous tooth and a half permanent tooth with caries than indigenous children living in higher SES areas. The remote postcodes showed higher levels of decay in deciduous dentition (+1.25 teeth) compared with others regions.Conclusions: The dental caries trend increased in South Australian indigenous children over the study period, and was associated with area-level SES and remoteness.Implication: The increasing trend in dental caries in indigenous children is important evidence to inform policies to improve oral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study sought to: a) estimate the frequency of poor self-rated oral health as assessed by a summary measure; b) compare frequency according to sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychological distress factors; and (3) determine if psychological distress was associated with poor self-rated oral health after adjusting for confounding. Methods Data were from a convenience sample of Indigenous Australian adults ( n = 289) residing in Australia's Northern Territory. Poor self-rated oral health was defined as reported experience of toothache, poor dental appearance or food avoidance in the last 12 months. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate socio-demographic, behavioral, and psychological distress associations with poor self-rated oral health (SROH). Effects were quantified as odds ratios (OR). Results The frequency of poor SROH was 73.7 percent. High psychological distress, measured by a Kessler-6 score ≥8, was experienced by 33.9 percent of participants. Poor SROH was associated with high levels of psychological distress, being older, being female, and usually visiting a dentist because of a problem. In the multivariable model, factors that were significantly associated with poor SROH after adjustment for other covariates included having a high level of psychological distress (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.25-6.00), being female (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.03-4.78), and usually visiting a dentist because of a problem (OR 3.57, 95% CI 1.89-6.76). Conclusions Poor self-rated oral health and high levels of psychological distress were both highly frequent among this vulnerable population. Psychological distress was significantly associated with poor self-rated oral health after adjustment for confounding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine risk factors for a summary measure of oral health impairment among 18- to 34-year-olds in Australia. Data were from Australia's National Survey of Adult Oral Health, a representative survey that utilized a three-stage, stratified, clustered sampling design. Oral health impairment was defined as reported experience of toothache, poor dental appearance, or food avoidance in the last 12 months. Multivariate Poisson regression models were used to evaluate effects of sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived oral health, dental service utilization, and clinical oral disease indicators on oral health impairments. Effects were quantified as prevalence ratios (PR). The estimated percent of 18- to 34-year-olds with oral health impairment was 42.4 [95 percent confidence interval (CI) 37.7-47.2]. In the multivariate model, oral health impairment was associated with untreated dental decay (PR 1.38, 95 percent CI 1.13-1.68) and presence of periodontal pockets 4 mm+ (PR 1.29, 95 percent CI 1.03-1.61). In addition to those clinical indicators, greater prevalence of oral health impairment was associated with trouble paying a $100 dental bill (PR 1.37, 95 percent CI 1.12-1.68), usually visiting a dentist because of a dental problem (PR 1.46, 95 percent CI 1.15-1.86), reported cost barriers to dental care (PR 1.46, 95 percent CI 1.16-1.85), and dental fear (PR 1.43, 95 percent CI 1.18-1.73). Oral health impairment was highly prevalent in this population. The findings suggest that treatment of dental disease, reduction of financial barriers to dental care, and control of dental fear are needed to reduce oral health impairment among Australian young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]