5-11 August 2019 is Dental Health Week, Australian Dental Association’s major annual oral health promotion event that aims to educate Australians about the importance of maintaining good oral health. This event's key messages are the following:
- Brush twice a day with a toothpaste that contains fluoride.
- Clean in between teeth at least once a day with floss or an interdental brush.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet and limit sugar intake.
- Regularly visit the dentist for check-ups and preventive treatment.
This year's theme "How’s Your Oral Health Tracking?" draws off ADA's Oral Health Tracker report cards, a world-first initiative that documents and tracks oral health status. Even though everyone thinks that they are practicing good oral health, the reality is that the oral health of many Australians is not where it should be, according to this report. The track shows that:
- 65% of Australians haven’t seen a dentist in the last two years.
- 50% of Australians brush their teeth only once-a-day.
- Nearly 40% never floss or clean between their teeth.
- 73% of young people (14-18 years) are consuming too much sugar.
This ADA report card basically shows that that getting the message out about good oral health is more important than ever. That is why everyone - from dental professional to patient - are encouraged to use the Dental Health Week website, the associated resources, and even the ADA’s Oral Health Tracker to help start conversations with your patients and the wider community about keeping track of their mouth health and making their oral health a high priority.
ADA is Australia's peak national body for dentists and a voluntary member organisation with branches in every state and territory. The organisation has there major objectives, which are:
- To support members by enhancing their ability to provide safe, high quality professional oral health care
- To encourage the improvement of the oral and general health of the public
- Promotion of the ethics, art and science of dentistry
For more information about ADA, visit their website.
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