The percentage of Australian adults with periodontal disease and untreated caries is on the rise, according to a new report by the Australian Dental Association.
The association's Adult Oral Health Tracker survey found 32% of Australian adults had untreated tooth decay in 2019, an increase of more than five percentage points from 2018. The percentage of adults with periodontal pockets of at least 4 mm also rose dramatically, from 19.8% in 2018 to 28.8% in 2019.
In addition, adults with a toothache in the past 12 months rose from 16% in 2018 to 20% in 2019. At the same time, adults with a dental visit in the past 12 months fell from 56% in 2018 to 49% in 2019.
The good news? Australian adults are brushing their teeth more often. A total of 53% of respondents said they brushed their teeth twice per day in 2019, up from 51% the previous year. Australian adults are also more likely to have at least 21 teeth.
