A growing number of Victorian children are requiring hospitalisation to treat preventable dental problems, new data shows.
More than 2900 children aged 0-17 years required a general anaesthetic to have more than 10,194 teeth extracted as well as thousands of fillings in 2017/18.
This included over 2200 children aged 0-9 years, a figure 13 per cent higher than the 12 months previous, and 39 per cent higher than in 2013/14.
The alarming data was obtained by the Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch (ADAVB) under Freedom of Information laws.
ADAVB President and public dentist Dr Kevin Morris said the statistics were deeply concerning.
“Children aged 0-9 age years fared the worst, making up the majority (76 per cent) of cases, and accounting for an average of four teeth extracted per child,” he said.
“Some children as young as 2-3 years old are having all their baby teeth removed, leaving them without any teeth for years before their adult teeth come through.”
Dr Morris said baby teeth were very important as they enabled children to chew food and speak properly, and reserved spaces in gum tissue for future adult teeth.
“You can only imagine the devastating impact these extractions have on their health and nutrition, and their social and emotional well-being,” he said.
Tooth decay is entirely preventable, with excess added sugar consumption a major contributing factor. Regular and early dental appointments are also important to help prevent dental disease.
“We know that if children are being seen more often by a dentist then these problems can be addressed earlier and even prevented through supporting families with healthy messages,” Dr Morris said.
More than 2.5 million Victorians are eligible for public dental care, but less than 400,000 receive treatment each year.
