A survey by Japan’s health ministry shows the number of children with cavities in the country hit a record low in fiscal 2024, the Japanese Times reported Wednesday.
Japan is now reporting the lowest proportion of cavities among children since the government began tracking their oral health in fiscal 1948. The latest data, collected between April and June last year, shows cavity rates at 20.74 per cent for kindergarteners, 32.89 per cent for elementary school students, 26.50 per cent for junior high school students and 34.70 per cent for high school students.
The Japanese Times said the record low reflects school-led initiatives promoting tooth brushing and other oral health practices.
Japan has long focused on schools to improve children’s overall health. In 2000, the country launched its third national health policy, which included oral health among nine key targets for 2010. The policy aimed to reduce the DMFT index to below 1 for 12-year-olds, more than 90 per cent of schoolchildren to use fluoride toothpaste, and professional dental staff to provide tooth brushing instruction to more than 30 per cent of students.
However, a 2019 study questioned the effectiveness of school-based tooth-brushing programs in Japan, suggesting that factors such as socioeconomic status (SES), community environment, and pre-existing oral health trends may play a larger role in reducing dental caries.
For instance, the study found that schools with after-lunch tooth-brushing programs had a higher mean DMFT among children with any caries compared to those without such programs.
