Aspects of tooth decay in recently arrived refugees

Objective: To measure and compare the prevalence and distribution of tooth decay among two refugee groups recently arrived in Australia. Method: The study included refugees aged 15-44 years from Iraq and the former Yugoslavia and random, age-matched social security recipients attending for emergency dental care in 1996. Results: In younger persons, former Yugoslavian refugees had significantly greater decay experience than Iraqis and emergency care recipients. Refugees had significantly more untreated decay than emergency care recipients and a similar distribution of untreated decayed teeth, with only 15% having none and more than 10% having high decay levels. More than 33% of emergency care recipients had no untreated decay and less than 5% had high levels. Conclusion: Significant differences were found between refugees and emergency dental care recipients, with refugees having a higher prevalence and more uniform distribution of untreated decay. Implications: Consistent with public health objectives, the finding that refugees had significantly more untreated decay than other disadvantaged Australians provides support for improved access to dental care during the settlement period.