An Oral Health Survey of Free-Ranging and Captive Koalas From Southeast Queensland, Australia.
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| Title: | An Oral Health Survey of Free-Ranging and Captive Koalas From Southeast Queensland, Australia. |
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| Authors: | Pettett LM; School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia., Wilson GJ; School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia., Bird PS; School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia. |
| Source: | Journal of veterinary dentistry [J Vet Dent] 2025 Nov; Vol. 42 (6), pp. 426-438. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 May 08. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: SAGE Publishing Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9426426 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2470-4083 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 08987564 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Vet Dent Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2016- : Thousand Oaks, CA : SAGE Publishing Original Publication: Boise, Idaho : American Veterinary Dental Society, |
| MeSH Terms: | Phascolarctidae* , Oral Health*, Animals ; Female ; Animals, Zoo ; Male ; Queensland/epidemiology ; Animals, Wild |
| Abstract: | Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Good oral health is important for general well-being and longevity. Two-hundred and ninety-five koalas from free-range and captive colonies were examined to determine their oral health status. Two hundred koalas were classified as free-range, whilst 95 were captive from three separate zoological parks. Observations were made using the Koala Oral Health Chart which results in three major indices: the General Oral Cavity Index (GOCI), Oral Health Index (OHI), and Final OHI (FOHI), which describe the current oral health of the population. Eighty-six percent of the koalas had one oral health problem, with 42% of these koalas classified as old aged. The FOHI average from the whole population was 3.76 (SD 3.19, SE 0.20, median 3.00, range 0.14-15.98) with a high variance in individual indices scores. The frequencies of FOHI scoring also showed significant differences between tooth wear classes (TWC) ( P = .000), with a sharp increase by TWC 3. This also occurred with the GOCI. The GOCI physical abnormalities were recorded in 141 koalas, with a median of three conditions per koala. Oral Health Index scores were recorded for 219 koalas with the highest of 8.40 in a TWC 7 female. Zoo 3 had significantly healthier oral cavities when the highest FOHI levels of each group was assessed (Zoo 1, 11.42; Zoo 2, 13.40; Zoo 3, 4.13; free-range, 15.98). The FOHI severity levels between free-range and captive koalas based on sex and TWC showed significant variation (sex, P = .000; TWC, P = .000). This study provides index values that can be used for comparison with other koalas or other species in the future. |
| References: | J Comp Pathol. 2009 Aug-Oct;141(2-3):170-6. (PMID: 19539950) J Periodontal Res. 1970;5(2):141-7. (PMID: 4254169) J Clin Periodontol. 1986 May;13(5):371-4, 379-80. (PMID: 3013947) J Vet Dent. 1996 Sep;13(3):101-5. (PMID: 9520786) J Comp Pathol. 1984 Apr;94(2):285-300. (PMID: 6736313) Aust Vet J. 2022 Jun;100(6):277-282. (PMID: 35332935) Med Mycol. 2003 Jun;41(3):225-34. (PMID: 12964714) Equine Vet J. 2008 May;40(3):204-8. (PMID: 18096519) Aust Vet J. 2020 May;98(5):200-206. (PMID: 31971256) J Wildl Dis. 1999 Oct;35(4):728-34. (PMID: 10574532) Aust Vet J. 2019 Nov;97(11):473-481. (PMID: 31631313) Res Vet Sci. 2016 Aug;107:213-219. (PMID: 27473998) J Prosthet Dent. 1979 Dec;42(6):649-53. (PMID: 292776) J Comp Pathol. 1987 Mar;97(2):171-8. (PMID: 3597849) J Vet Dent. 2012 Winter;29(4):232-41. (PMID: 23505786) Equine Vet J. 2009 Apr;41(4):390-4. (PMID: 19562902) PLoS One. 2018 Jan 18;13(1):e0191395. (PMID: 29346448) J Vet Dent. 2021 Jun;38(2):67-74. (PMID: 34821512) Aust Vet J. 1987 Jan;64(1):20-2. (PMID: 3593132) Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1988 Aug;16(4):236-9. (PMID: 3261678) Int Dent J. 1982 Sep;32(3):281-91. (PMID: 6958657) |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Queensland; dental; disease; koala; oral health |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20250508 Date Completed: 20251015 Latest Revision: 20251017 |
| Update Code: | 20251017 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC12521772 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/08987564251334539 |
| PMID: | 40336306 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstract: | Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.<br />Good oral health is important for general well-being and longevity. Two-hundred and ninety-five koalas from free-range and captive colonies were examined to determine their oral health status. Two hundred koalas were classified as free-range, whilst 95 were captive from three separate zoological parks. Observations were made using the Koala Oral Health Chart which results in three major indices: the General Oral Cavity Index (GOCI), Oral Health Index (OHI), and Final OHI (FOHI), which describe the current oral health of the population. Eighty-six percent of the koalas had one oral health problem, with 42% of these koalas classified as old aged. The FOHI average from the whole population was 3.76 (SD 3.19, SE 0.20, median 3.00, range 0.14-15.98) with a high variance in individual indices scores. The frequencies of FOHI scoring also showed significant differences between tooth wear classes (TWC) ( P = .000), with a sharp increase by TWC 3. This also occurred with the GOCI. The GOCI physical abnormalities were recorded in 141 koalas, with a median of three conditions per koala. Oral Health Index scores were recorded for 219 koalas with the highest of 8.40 in a TWC 7 female. Zoo 3 had significantly healthier oral cavities when the highest FOHI levels of each group was assessed (Zoo 1, 11.42; Zoo 2, 13.40; Zoo 3, 4.13; free-range, 15.98). The FOHI severity levels between free-range and captive koalas based on sex and TWC showed significant variation (sex, P = .000; TWC, P = .000). This study provides index values that can be used for comparison with other koalas or other species in the future. |
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| ISSN: | 2470-4083 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/08987564251334539 |