Dental Health Week 3-9 August

MHPHDS Dental Health Services is supporting Australian Dental Association's Dental Health Week (external site) from 3-9 August, an annual event which aims to make everyone aware of the key things they need to do to keep their teeth and gums healthy.

These are:

• Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean between your teeth daily using floss or interdental brushes.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet and limit sugar intake.
• Visit the dentist regularly for check-ups and preventive care.

The theme for this year's week is “Hidden Sugar - how much sugar is hiding in your trolley?”. Sugar harms oral health and this Dental Health Week encourages everyone to ‘get sugar savvy’ with three main sugar messages:

• Consume no more than 6 teaspoons (24 grams) of free sugar per day as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Choose foods with less than 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams.
• Look out for hidden sugars when purchasing foods and drinks.

Figures show that the average Australian is consuming 14 teaspoons of sugar a day, a whole lot more than the maximum six teaspoons a day recommended by the WHO for increased health benefits such as decreasing the risk of tooth decay, which is having a profoundly negative effect on Australia’s dental health. This Dental Health Week encourages everyone to learn what daily sugar consumption level looks like in relation to the food you eat, how to read a food label so you can see what’s really in your food, and how sugar can negatively affect your dental health.

See the DHS factsheets on sugar and oral health for more information:

Further information on the week can be found on the Dental Health Week website (external site)