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Your smile is usually the first feature people notice about you.
So – besides the health benefits of getting your dental care up to speed – aesthetically, it’s important we get our dental care right.
Dental Health Week takes place from 6 to 12 August, 2018 and is the Australian Dental Association’s major annual oral health promotion event.
The aim is to educate Australians about the importance of maintaining good oral health.
Their latest campaign, titled ‘Watch Your Mouth’ promotes some key dental health messages including the importance of:
- brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
- cleaning in between teeth at least once a day with floss or an interdental brush
- eating a healthy balance diet and limit sugar intake, and
- regularly visiting the dentist for check-ups and preventive treatment.
The Australian Dental Association said only half of Australians brush their teeth once a day and 65 per cent of us haven’t seen a dentist in the last two years.
Although many of us are aware of the basics of keeping our mouth healthy, it’s important to remember other factors such as wearing a mouthguard when playing sport.
Each year, thousands of adults and children are treated for dental injuries that could have been prevented or minimised by simply wearing a mouthguard.
The Australian Dental Association strongly recommends the use of a mouthguard in any sport or activity where collision or contact is likely, and during both games and training.
The association encourages people to use the Dental Health Week website, the associated resources, and the ADA’s Oral Health Tracker to start conversations about watching their mouth and making their oral health a high priority.
Statistics show that nearly 40 per cent of Australian’s never floss or clean between their teeth and that 73 per cent of young people (14-18 years) are consuming too much sugar.
This usually starts from a young age, so it’s important to set habits early and encourage children to watch their mouth by employing good dental hygiene tactics.
Use this Dental Health Week to evaluate you and your family’s personal dental health needs.
