Oral health promotion

Good oral health is important for general health and wellbeing. This is because the impact of oral disease places a considerable burden on individuals, families and the community.

Most oral diseases are preventable. The Victorian Government recognises the importance of good oral health and the need to focus on maximising prevention by promoting oral health to all Victorians.

Raising awareness

The Victorian Government is committed to raising awareness of the impacts of oral disease:

• The burden of oral disease comes from 3 main conditions: tooth decay, gum disease and oral cancer.
• Tooth decay is the most prevalent health problem, with half of all children and adolescents and over 90 per cent of adults affected.
• Moderate or severe gum disease affects more than one-quarter of the Victorian adult population.
• The prevalence of moderate to severe gum disease increases to 58 per cent among those aged 55 years and over.
• Oral cancer is one of the causes of disease burden in Victoria with an average of two new cases every day.
• The leading cancers of the mouth are cancers of the lips, tongue and oropharynx.