Dental Health Week 2019 - Are you tracking your oral health?

Dental Health Week 2019 starts today and will continue for the next week! So what is Dental Health Week? It’s Australia’s own annual oral health promotion week which aims to remind Australians adults and kids about the importance of keeping good oral health.

This year event is all about keeping track of the oral health of you and your family. Unfortunately, this is a responsibility that not all Aussies are taking seriously enough.

According the Australian Dental Association’s Oral Health Tracker report card on the oral health habits of child, teen and adult Australians:

65% of Australians haven’t visited their dentist for a check up for two years,
Half of Australians only brush their teeth once daily,
Approximately 40% of Australians don’t floss or use interdental brushes for the spaces in between their teeth and around their gums, and
73% of teens aged 14 to 18 years are eating too much added sugar.

So, what’s the message to all Australians from the ADA regarding these serious community oral health issues?

Visit your dentist for regular checkups and preventative dental treatment, once or twice a year.
Brush your teeth TWICE a day with fluoride toothpaste – once when you wake up and again before you go to bed.
Make sure you clean the interdental spaces between your teeth at least once a day, using floss, piksters or interdental brushes.
Ensure your child eats a balanced, healthy diet, and limit their intake of added sugars.

Keeping track of your oral health is so important to avoid serious complications to your oral and general health – now and later in life. Happy Dental Health Week from the TC Dental team!