New data shows thousands of children in South Australia are being admitted to hospital for preventable dental problems, with those aged five to nine being particularly affected.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, more than 8,450 South Australian children were hospitalized for preventable dental problems in 2022-23.
During the same period, 12.3 out of every 1,000 South Australian residents hospitalized for dental problems were children, significantly higher than the state average.
Furthermore, 4.4 out of every 1,000 South Australian residents were hospitalized for dental problems, an increase from 3.5 in 2013.
Dr. Greg Miller, President of the Australian Dental Foundation, said that while these figures are alarming, they are not surprising. He noted that the problem has been accumulating for a long time due to a lack of dental resources in developed areas and the increased burden of disease among high-risk groups.
Compared to their parents, the current generation has fewer experiences with oral diseases and, as a result, is less concerned about oral health. This, coupled with the abundance of sugary drinks, snacks, and processed foods in supermarkets, further contributes to the risk of tooth decay in children.
Miller stated that approximately one in 80 children requires hospitalization for dental problems, equivalent to one in every two and a half classes.
He added that dental care remains a widespread problem, particularly as parents struggle to bring their children to clinics during the week and public dental services are limited on weekends, forcing many to opt for expensive private care. The situation is even more severe in remote areas, where some public dental clinics have even closed.
Currently, 80% of dental services in South Australia are provided by the private sector. The Australian Dental Foundation provides screening and treatment services to under-resourced communities through mobile clinics and actively promotes preventive education. Miller emphasized that the government should work more closely with organizations like the foundation to fill service gaps in the public system.
The foundation, in partnership with the state government’s Department of Child Protection (DCP), provides dental screenings, treatment, emergency assistance, and holiday clinics to vulnerable children in over 350 schools and childcare centers across the state.
SA Dental, the South Australian public dental agency, stated that public dental funding and policy are regulated by the federal government, and that all children under 18 living or attending school in South Australia are currently eligible for public dental care.
To reduce the need for hospitalization, the agency has also introduced measures such as stainless steel crowns to reduce tooth extractions and continues to work to reduce tooth decay rates among children.