The nation’s oral health is not in as good a shape as it should be right now. Only half of adults clean their teeth twice a day and our sugar consumption exceeds WHO guidelines, contributing to tooth decay as the most common chronic disease in Australia.
For Dental Health Week which runs from tomorrow, August 5 to August 11, the Australian Dental Association has dental experts available for interview on a wide range oral health issues including:
- Why teeth are being extracted by paediatric in children Kids dentist Brisbane as young as two,
- The dangers of DIY tooth whitening,
- Why health fads like kombucha, charcoal and bi carb products harm your teeth,
- How we can better fund public dentistry so more people get access to more dental help and waiting lists are reduced,
- The lifestyle habits putting your oral health at risk,
- How dentists are helping patients overcome their fear of being in the chair,
- What you should know about sugar-free sports and energy drinks,
- Why you shouldn’t clean your teeth straight after eating (and other common misconceptions busted).
Plus: oral piercings, what new mums aren’t told about looking after their baby’s mouth, the importance of wearing a customised mouthguard, and sleep apnoea devices saving lives and marriages.
The facts: 63% of adults haven’t seen a dentist for over two years, 57% say they can’t afford it and 11% are too frightened to visit. When we do go, 71% of us only do so because of a problem.
“If everyone brushed their teeth twice a day, flossed daily, visited their dentist regularly and ate a balanced, nutritious diet low in sugar, this would all go a long way to improving the dental health of Australians as they would need less dental treatments,” said ADA President Dr Carmelo Bonanno.
“That’s why these are the four main messages the ADA is promoting during Dental Health Week.
“It’s now becoming more widely accepted too, that there are strong links between the health of the mouth and what’s going on in the rest of the body so paying attention to your mouth will reap dividends for the rest of the body.”
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