Dental Health Week is the Australian Dental Association’s major annual oral health promotion event. Its aim is to educate Australians about the importance of maintaining good oral health. The key messages are:
• Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
• 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.
These messages will be reinforced with a cheeky tagline, Watch Your Mouth. Sadly not everyone is doing it at the moment as the reality is that many Australians are not heeding these messages: 65% of Australians have not seen a dentist in the last two years, 50% are only brushing their teeth once a day, nearly 40% never floss or clean between their teeth, and 73% of young people (14-18 years) are consuming too much sugar. Start conversations about ‘watching your mouth’ to make oral health a high priority.