Dental Health Week is the annual oral health campaign created and promoted by the Australian Dental Association. The ADA is the peak national body for dentists and although it has a branch in every state and territory, membership is voluntary. Its enduring vision is to continue as the recognised authority and voice for the government and media in terms of maintaining excellent professional standards that keep the community trusting its ethicality, and its knowledge in the realm of oral health.

There are three main objectives of the Australian Dental Association: to assist members provide safe, high quality professional oral health care; to improve the general oral health of the country; and to promote the science, ethics and art of dentistry.

Each year it runs from the first full week in August, so 2021 Dental Health Week ran from 2 – 8 August.

There is no reason teeth can’t be kept for life. It shouldn’t be normal expectation that at some point in life, teeth will be removed because of tooth decay or gum disease. The reality is that the oral health of many Australians is not where it should be. Two-in-three adults make dental appointments because of an issue rather than a check-up, one-in-five brush just once a day, and only one-in-four floss or use interdental brushes.

Almost 50% of the adult population consume too many sugars and carbohydrates, which accounts for an increase in cavities. These molecules combine with saliva and bacteria to form plaque: the preliminary to gingivitis and periodontal disease; the forerunner of tooth decay and compromised tooth enamel.

The ADA wants to encourage Australians to seriously realise that for most, there is more than a possibility of reaching this goal – with simple routines, techniques and approaches it’s a probability.

Dental Health Week focuses on specific health messages for healthy gums and teeth every year to reinforce the importance of actively maintaining excellent oral health.

Having a healthy mouth requires little effort, with the irony that we seem to take strong teeth and good gums for granted, practice less dedicated care and then the problems begin.

Mandatorily, the ADA recommends eating a healthy and balanced diet, limiting sugar and carbohydrate intake and brushing twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste.

Clean between each tooth daily using floss or interdental brushes. Build-up is a bacteria buffet. Microbiome of the mouth consists of more than 700 species and not all of them should be invited to stay.

Dental Health Week Messaging: Keep Your Teeth For Life: Oral Health vs Cavities

It’s why preventative care twice yearly by your dentist is so important. It’s not only about having a professional clean, it’s the face-to-face opportunity for advice, and answers to any questions you may have.

The Oral Health Tracker is our national report card that helps set improvement targets.

Developed in collaboration with the Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC) and other Australian oral health experts, the Tracker highlights the intrinsic link between oral health and the risk factors of preventable chronic diseases such as heart conditions, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.   

The Oral Health Tracker is aligned with the World Health Organisation Action Plan that aims to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases by 2025.

The message is clear. Observing just one week a year to information or reminders about your own oral health isn’t enough if you expect to keep your teeth for a lifetime.

You have to make every day your own Dental Health Week.

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Note: All content and media on the Bacchus Marsh Dental House website and social media channels are created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

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