The oral health of children in the district of Dill, Timor-Leste

The health situation of Timor-Leste was particularly poor during both Portuguese colonial administration and Indonesian occupation. There was no national oral health policy or strategy during the four and a half centuries of Portuguese colonisation or the 24 years of Indonesian occupation. The country health profile in 2002 showed that life expectancy ranged from 50-58 years, and was combined with high infant mortality rates of 78-149 per 1,000 live births, and under-5 year mortality rates of 124-201 per 1,000 live births. The 2002 Timor-Leste National Oral Health Survey found that 85% of children and adults had never made a dental visit. Some visits were made to dentists, dental nurses and general medical practitioners, but nearly half were made to other providers such as traditional healers. The burden of dental caries was found to be low to moderate in children and adults, likely linked to a subsistence farming low-sugar diet. However, dental caries was mostly untreated, or treated by extractions, often not performed by dentists or dental nurses.