A national survey has revealed that 70% of children aged between 5 and 7 years suffer from tooth problems caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits.
The Ministry of Health confirmed the figure during a three-day meeting of the Oral Health Pacific Islands Alliance (OPIA), which took place in Port Vila this week.
The findings follow Vanuatu’s first-ever oral health survey and are now a growing concern for health authorities. Oral health looks at the condition of a person’s teeth and mouth.
Acting National Coordinator of Oral Health, Dr. Rohda Bule Abbie, said oral health has now fall under non-communicable disease (NCD) and must be addressed urgently.
“Around 70% of children have tooth decay by the time they turn five years old. This affects their speech, growth, and development, and by the time they reach 30 or 40 years of age, it increases the likelihood of developing NCD later in life,” Dr. Abbie explained.
She also raised concern over lifestyle habits that are slowly increasing risks of mouth cancer.
“We don’t really see it immediately, but habits such as smoking, marijuana and betel nut chewing are rising, and we need to be vigilant,” she said.
The Port Vila conference brought together 105 dental health experts from 13 Pacific countries and one from the Caribbean, marking the first time OPIA has held its meeting outside of Fiji. The main goal of the three-day meeting was to push for oral health to be integrated into primary healthcare systems by 2030.
Co-founder and executive member of OPIA, Dr. Leenu Maimanuku, stressed that working together is key. And oral health must be integrated into primary healthcare system.
“Oral health must be included in primary healthcare, just like diabetes, high blood pressure and other diseases. Many of these conditions share common risk factors. By integrating services, we can use limited resources better across the region,” she said, highlighting the need for stronger links with maternal and child health, school dental programs, and universities.
Dr. Abbie added that although oral health remains a small program within the Ministry of Health, with limited resources and workforce, Vanuatu stands to benefit from being part of global and regional health networks such as the OPIA.
“We are a small country facing many challenges. On our own, it’s difficult to conduct surveys or justify funding from the government, but being part of regional forums, strengthens our position to collectively align ourselves with global guidelines and technical advice, in terms of research, data, resource and allocation” she said.
The conference concluded with a commitment to build stronger oral health programs across the Pacific, under the vision of ensuring healthy smiles and healthy lives by 2030.
