The Health Department was today congratulated for its efforts to improve students’ oral health.

Screenings for tooth decay are now offered to children entering primary school and a separate programme is targeting tooth decay among high school students.

Although decay has increased slightly due to a change in eating habits, levels are still lower than the targeted maximum levels set by the World Health Organisation for 2020.

“The new school entry screenings will provide increased opportunity for early tooth decay identification,” said Health Minister Trevor Moniz. “Information gathered from the school screenings will help provide data regarding the scope of primary tooth decay and will support initiatives to reduce this expensive problem in the population.”

The Health Department has also established “a very successful sealant programme” within high schools, he added.

“Those schools that had high sealant utilisation had the lowest levels of decay among students at 15 years of age. Therefore, if sealants are promoted and utilised in 12-year-old patients the level of decay for 15-year-olds can be expected to decrease.”