Study finds water fluoridation significantly improved oral health of Queensland children

Data from 7,718 school students aged between 5-14 years was collected as part of the Queensland Child Oral Health Study (QCOHS) 2021-24, which was carried out in collaboration with Queensland Health and the Queensland Department of Education at randomly selected state, independent and Catholic schools.

Professor Loc Do from UQ’s School of Dentistry said the results were compared to the first QCOHS study in 2010-2012, with the primary aim of evaluating the effectiveness of water fluoridation expansion in Queensland.

“We found the percentage of children aged 5-10 years with tooth decay in their baby teeth fell from 49.5 per cent to 38.8 per cent in the latest survey,” Professor Do said.

“The average number of tooth surfaces that have had decay in this group was also lower at 2.9 compared to 4.1 previously, indicating a steady decline over the past decade.

“It’s important to note, these improvements were predominantly seen in newly fluoridated areas, while there was little change in the experience of tooth decay in areas without water fluoridation.

“The significant benefit of water fluoridation remained even after taking into consideration socioeconomic factors and health behaviours and was maintained in older children with adult teeth.”

The study also gathered information about behaviours and attitudes to the oral health of children.

“We discovered 40 per cent of Queensland children had at least one sugary drink a day, and the proportion of children who brushed their teeth twice a day as recommended has fallen to 63 per cent from 72 per cent,” Professor Do said.

“This suggests oral health promotion should be stepped up to educate both parents and children on ways to prevent tooth decay and other oral health problems.

“There are strong associations between household income and parental education with oral health.’’

Queensland’s Chief Dental Officer, Ben Stute said while it was encouraging to see improvements in oral health among Queensland children, the study showed not all children have benefitted equally since the previous study.

“The findings of QCOHS will help us identify where we should be putting our efforts over the coming years to ensure all Queensland children enjoy better oral health,” Dr Stute said.

“The implications for Queensland Health may include how we deliver public oral health services to Queensland children, as well as local and statewide preventive strategies that promote good oral health.

“This study also adds up-to-date, high-quality and local evidence supporting the effectiveness of water fluoridation, which I hope will provide reassurance to local councils regarding the important impact of this initiative.”

The results have been presented at a 2-day workshop on 14-15 October where researchers and policy makers are discussing ways of improving child oral health.

Collaboration and acknowledgements