
Happy Dental Health Week!
Dental Health Week (DHW) is a campaign dedicated to educating Australians on the importance of maintaining good oral health, organised by the Australian Dental Association (ADA).

This year’s theme “How much sugar is hiding is hiding in your trolley?” focuses on the effects that sugar has on our dental health. This week (3rd – 9th August), our dentists in Nambour are exploring how much sugar we should be consuming and how to understand food labels to ensure we’re shopping for the right foods.
Taking care of your dental health is a combination of both the foods you eat and how well you clean your teeth. In this industry, preventative dentistry is always better than restorative treatment.
Before diving into the foods that we consume, let’s focus on how to properly clean and take care of our teeth.
Did you know?
53% of Australians brush their teeth only once-a-day
Preventative dentistry starts at home. It’s important to get into the habit of brushing twice a day from a young age. Additionally, you should know some tricks to the right technique.
Brush gently in circular motions for a full two minutes. You should make sure to reach the front surface of the teeth, the insides and the biting surface. Your toothbrush should be replaced every 3-4 months or after you have been sick.
Nearly 40% never floss or clean between their teeth
Flossing your teeth is essential for removing plaque and food particles that your toothbrush can’t reach. It plays a big role in preventing tooth decay and gum disease. And here’s a tip – your dentist can tell if you don’t floss, even when you lie about!
Less than 50% of Australian adults have had a check-up in the last 12 months
Cleaning your teeth twice a day is extremely important, but it doesn’t stop there. Visiting the dentist every 6 months for a routine check-up and clean is essential for preventative dentistry.
Professional teeth cleaning is necessary for removing a build-up of plaque and tartar that your everyday cleaning routines cannot remove. It also removes visible stains and bad breath and helps prevent gum disease and tooth decay.
73% of young people (14-18 years) and 47% of adults (18+ years) consume too much sugar
One thing that confuses Australians is the sugars hidden in our foods. We may think that we are eating healthy, but without understanding the maths, we may actually be eating far more sugar than what we should be.
This infographic from the ADA gives us an insight to calculating hidden sugars in our food labels.
What are the key messages?
- Limit your sugar intake to 6 teaspoons a day
- A glass of juice and a bowl of cereal for breakfast could already tip you over that recommended daily limit!
- Shop for foods with 10 grams or less of sugar per 100 grams
- Find added sugars by reading the list of ingredients
Smiles Nambour are your trusted dentists in Nambour. For more dental health tips, like us on Facebook. To book an appointment, give us a call on (07) 5441 4438 or contact us here.