Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01324:front:0:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01324
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 2940–5920

and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.
Death from tooth decay (dental caries)
 1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, tooth decay (dental caries), in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's tooth decay (dental caries).
Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
 1.                Basis for determining the factors
On the sound medical‑scientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that tooth decay (dental caries) and death from tooth decay (dental caries) can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.
Note: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
 1.                Factors that must exist
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, tooth decay (dental caries) or death from tooth decay (dental caries) is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
 1.           having tooth wear involving the affected tooth for at least the 3 months  before clinical onset;
 2.           having loss of gum tissue from the base of the affected tooth, with exposure of the root surface (gingival recession), for at least the 3 months before clinical onset of root surface caries;
 3.           having a course of therapeutic radiation to the head or neck, where the affected tooth was in the field of radiation, within the 2 years before clinical onset or clinical worsening;
 4.           having dry mouth resulting from severely reduced saliva flow (xerostomia) for a continuous period of at least 3 months, within the 2 years before clinical onset or clinical worsening;
Note: Xerostomia can result from surgery, Sjögren syndrome, or a wide variety of drugs, including anticholinergics, tricyclic antidepressants and amphetamines.
 1.           inability to obtain therapeutic exposure to fluoride to the teeth in at least one of the following forms:
         1.           fluoridated drinking water with a fluoride concentration of at least 0.5 milligrams per litre;
         2.           fluoridated toothpaste with a fluoride concentration of at least 1,000 parts per million;
         3.           liquid, tablet or lozenge formulation;
on more days than not for a continuous period of at least 1 year, within the 5 years before clinical onset or clinical worsening;
 1.           consuming foods, beverages or other products containing sugar or processed starch:
         1.           continuously over a period of at least 6 hours per day; or
         2.           on at least 10 separate occasions per day with more than 30