Oral health is fundamental to overall health, wellbeing and quality of life.
It is an important part of general health, affecting not only the individual, but also the broader health system and economy.
There have been significant improvements in oral health in Australia in the past 30 years. These are largely due to:
- improved access to fluoridated drinking water
- the use of fluoride toothpastes
- the provision of preventive oral health services
- the adoption of good oral hygiene practices.
This section of the Chief Health Officer report looks at child and adult dental caries (tooth decay) experience, as well as the affordability of dental care, which also impacts oral health in Victoria.
This section of the Chief Health Officer report draws on:
- The National Study of Adult Oral Health , published by the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health in 2019
- The Victorian Population Health Survey 2016, published by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2018
- The National child oral health study , published by the University of Adelaide in 2016.
Reviewed 24 October 2023