Oral health is known to have an impact on:
- physical development,
- the ability to chew, speak, and taste,
- psychological and social wellbeing, and
- general quality of life.
In 2009, almost 65% of five-year-olds in the Canterbury DHB area were caries-free, compared to just over 55% of New Zealand children overall. Māori and Pacific children had significantly higher rates of tooth decay than other children: only 37.5% and 26.75% respectively were caries-free in 2009.
All children under the age of 18 in the CDHB area are eligible for free dental care. In 2009, approximately 67% of adolescents in Canterbury were using oral health services. This is slightly above the average of 65.4% for all DHBs but well below the rate of just over 88% in the South Canterbury DHB area.
Read the full issue summary for oral health [PDF] - last updated February 2013.