Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Oral health draft report shelved after two years - The Irish Times - Tue, Oct 20, 2009

Oral health draft report shelved after two years - The Irish Times - Tue, Oct 20, 2009:

Ireland is the only country that mandates fluoridation country-wide.

"The unpublished Oral Health Policy details how general oral health has improved but outlined 'how this is not the case among certain groups, including medical card holders and children under five years of age'.

It states that 'the total State investment in oral health is estimated at in excess of €250 million annually'.

The policy is critical of how current public dental schemes are failing those they are designed to help, in particular children, people with special needs and older people in care.

It states that there is 'an apparent mismatch between peaks in childhood caries and age range on which public dental treatment focuses . . . It is clear that young people need more preventive dental care and advice and their oral hygiene and dietary habits must improve'."