Kids' teeth cause for alarm
Tasmanian dentists are alarmed by figures showing the State's children have a high rate of decay in their adult teeth.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released its Child Dental Health Survey, compiled from State Government dental data from 2007.
The report says 38 percent of 12 year-olds had decayed adult teeth, compared with the national average of 31 percent.
The Australian Dental Association's Wayne Ottoway says it suggests some children need more regular dental checks.
"It's usually the first molars or the six year molars that we often look at the decay rates and that's of significance there," he said.
"Now in the baby teeth the child may lose those but in the adult teeth they're obviously there for life and that's where we have greater concern."