By Elle Cecil
An alarming number of parents are letting their kids drink soft drink regularly despite most knowing the contents can lead to tooth decay.
And many parents are are unaware that fruit juice can also cause tooth decay.
These are among the revelations from new research from a deep dive into the nation’s mouths.
The Australian Dental Association’s (ADA) 2020 National Consumer Survey of around 25,000 people also found one in five adults only brushes once a day and 60 per cent haven’t seen a dentist for at least two years.
Specifically, the survey found:
– 4 in 10 parents report their children under 17 years drink 2-5 soft drinks a week, despite 83 per cent knowing such drinks can lead to tooth decay. A sizeable number of parents appear to be unaware that fruit juice can lead to tooth decay.
– 2 in 3 adults usually visit the dentist for a specific problem rather than for a check-up, a figure that has not improved since first being recorded in 2014.
– 1 in 3 adults rate their oral health as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. This increased with age to 1 in 2 adults for those over 56. The most common reason was ‘don’t visit the dentist enough’.
ADA Vice President Dr Steven Liew said the survey’s findings, released for Dental Health Week in August, showed Australians have the capacity to improve the daily habits that contribute to good oral health.
“Not brushing twice a day and flossing once a day is a fast track to developing tooth decay, gum disease and a range whole of body health issues that can arise from sub-par oral health,” he said.
“Previous studies suggest that untreated advanced gum disease can increase the chances of serious cardiac events, adverse pregnancy outcomes including prematurity, Type 2 diabetes and other significant health conditions.
“Brushing your teeth for two minutes, twice a day, and flossing thoroughly every day, as well as consuming a diet low in added sugar and seeing your dentist at least once a year, all go a long way to maintaining good oral health and benefits whole of body health.”
Here are the ADA’s top dental hygiene tips:
– Brush for at least two minutes, twice per day (30 seconds per quarter of your mouth)
– Pick a favourite song (over two minutes) and brush from its beginning to end
– Brush your teeth at a 45 degree angle to the gums
– Don’t brush too softly or it could be ineffective, but don’t brush with too much force as it could damage the surface of your teeth
– Replace your toothbrush every three months or at the first sign of wear-and-tear (whichever comes first)
– Floss for at least two minutes every day
– Limit your consumption of processed sugars and foods
