Dental Health Week Australia is a key event held by the Australian Dental Association (ADA) during the first week of August each year (6-12).
This year’s theme is “Watch Your Mouth”, intended to remind Australians about the importance of keeping an eye on their oral health.
And during Dental Health Week, the ADA and True Dental Care Preston are encouraging everyone to visit their regular dentist and if you don’t have one, to find one and get your oral health back on track.
This is important because many Australians fall short of perfect dental health. For instance, 65% of Australians haven’t seen a dentist in the last two years, and almost 40% never floss or clean in-between their teeth.
Dental Health Week 2018 gives 4 pieces of advice to Australians.
- Brush with fluoride toothpaste
- Clean in-between teeth
- Eat a healthy balanced diet and limit sugar intake
- Visit Your True Dental Care Preston dentist on a regular schedule
Let’s take a look at the ADA recommendations, which are both simple and achievable!
Brush with fluoride toothpaste
This is the same message you’ve been hearing since childhood!
- Brush your teeth twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush that fits easily in your mouth. The soft bristles help you safely and effectively clean your teeth and take care of your gums. The easy fit will help you get to the hard-to-reach places of your mouth. If a toothbrush is too difficult, consider an electric one.
- Keep a light touch – applying too much pressure can damage gums & tooth enamel.
- Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months, or sooner if the bristles are worn out or frayed.
- When you brush, use fluoride toothpaste. The fluoride will strengthen your tooth enamel and give it the ability to fight off harmful substances.
The general opinion is that you shouldn’t use toothpaste when cleaning the teeth of infants under 18 months of age. Use a dollop of low fluoride toothpaste for children aged 18 months to six years. Adults should always supervise children brushing their teeth to ensure they don’t swallow toothpaste.
Clean in-between teeth
A substantial amount of tooth surface is hidden away between the teeth, and it needs to be cleaned, perhaps even more than the visible surfaces. Here are the ADA guidelines:
- Floss at least once daily.
- Ask your dentist to demonstrate the correct flossing technique.
- Ask your dentist if interdental aids will complement your flossing.
- Your children should floss too, start as soon as your child has two teeth that touch.
And be sure you are using good technique:
- Start with about 45 cm of floss. Wind most of the floss around each middle finger, leaving an inch or two of floss to work with.
- Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers and gently slide it up-and-down between the teeth.
- Delicately curve the floss around the base of each tooth, being certain to reach beneath the gum line. Never snap floss into place or force it to move, as this may lacerate or bruise your gum tissue.
- Use clean sections of floss as you go from tooth to tooth.
- When removing floss, use the same back-and-forth motion to bring the floss up and away from the teeth.
Eat a healthy balanced diet and limit sugar intake
Diet and oral health are linked. The ADA suggests:
- Limit sugar consumption. Sugar is the single biggest culprit in tooth decay.
- Fluoridated tap water is best.
- Read the ingredients panel on food products as many have hidden sugars.
- Choose teeth friendly foods such as cheese, nuts and vegetables.
- Avoid snacking and grazing.
Visit Your True Dental Care dentist on a regular schedule
To help our community, during Dental Health Week, True Dental Care is offering the following promotions (some terms and conditions apply):
True Dental Care for your Dental Health
The foundation of True Dental Care Preston is a passion for healthy beautiful smiles. Our team is composed of Australian trained dentists, nurses, and a prosthetist. We offer general dentistry, implants and cosmetic dentistry, and emergency services, all in our advanced facility with a highly-trained staff and cutting-edge technology and.
True Dental Care Preston offers a large range of treatment options from pain management to implants and Invisalign.
Call (03) 9131 5952 or visit us at 358 Bell St in Preston.
