Oral health

S T A T I S T I C S : H E A L T H S T A T U S I N D I C A T O R S

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Oral health

Table 28: Dental visit indicator

How to interpret results - tables

Indicator	Māori			non-Māori
Indicator	Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Been to dentist in previous year (selfreported), 15+ years, 2006/07, percent^{1, 2}	32.4 (28.8–35.9)	42.5 (39.6–45.3)	37.7 (35.3–40.2)	49.0 (46.9–51.0)	56.2 (54.4–58.0)	52.7 (51.2–54.2)

Source: 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survery

Notes:

Age standardised to 2001 Census total Māori population.
Prioritised Māori ethnic group – see ‘Ngā Tapuae me ngā Raraunga: Methods and Data Sources’ for further information.

Māori adults were less likely than non-Māori adults to have visited a dentist in the previous year (RR 0.72, CI 0.67–0.77).

How to interpret results - tables

Table 29: Dental treatment indicators

Indicator	Māori		non-Māori
Indicator	Fluoridated supply	Non-fluoridated supply	Fluoridated supply	Non-fluoridated supply
Mean number of missing or filled teeth at 5 years of age, 2008¹	2.9	4.2	1.5	1.6
Caries-free at 5 years of age, 2008,percent¹	40.0	32.0	63.7	62.2
Mean number of missing or filled teeth at school Year 8, 2008¹	1.7	2.7	1.0	1.4
Caries-free at school Year 8, 2008,percent¹	44.2	30.8	59.0	49.1

Source: School Dental Services

Note:

Prioritised Māori ethnic group – see ‘Ngā Tapuae me ngā Raraunga: Methods and Data Sources’ for further information.

At school entry (5 years of age), Māori children had a higher mean number of missing or filled teeth than non-Māori children and were less likely to be caries-free. This is the case for both fluoridated and non-fluoridated water supplies.

There was some reduction in disparity by school Year 8, although Māori children still had a higher mean number of missing and filled teeth than non-Māori and were less likely to be caries-free.

Page last updated: 26 July 2010

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