The theme of this year’s Australian Dental Association (ADA) Dental Health Week is “Watch Your Mouth”.
Dental Health Week (6 to 12 August) is the Australian Dental Association’s annual oral health promotion event.
The week is designed to educate Australians about the importance of maintaining good oral health. This year, the focus is on four key messages:
- Brush teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste
- Clean in-between teeth once a day (with floss or interdental brushes)
- Eat a healthy balanced diet and limit sugar intake
- Regularly visit the dentist for check-ups and preventive treatment
At Mayfield Dental Care we support this effort because adopting these four simple approaches can help you maintain oral and general help, avoid expensive treatment, save time at the dentist, and result is substantial aesthetic benefits. If you doubt the importance of these messages, consider the following:
- Just under 50% of Australians only brush once-a-day
- Nearly 40% never floss or clean-in-between their teeth
- Over 73% of young people (14-18 years) consume too much sugar
- 65% of Australians haven’t seen a dentist in the last two years
Let’s take a closer look at the ADA messages.
Brush teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste
Both the ADA and Mayfield Dental Care agree on the right way to brush:
- Brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes, twice a day. Most people don’t come close to brushing for that long, often brushing their teeth quickly.
- Squeeze a pea-sized blob of toothpaste onto a soft bristled brush.
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head and flexible neck.
- Clean your teeth methodically with the toothbrush against the gum line at a 45-degree angle.
- Don’t just grind away – too much pressure can damage gums & tooth enamel.
- Choose a toothpaste with fluoride and replace your toothbrush every 3 months.
If your dexterity or coordination are limited, an electric toothbrush may be a good alternative to a conventional brush.
Clean in-between teeth once a day (with floss or interdental brushes)
A surprising amount of tooth surface, over 33%, is tucked between your teeth and can only be addressed with floss or similar inter-dental tools. Here are the ADA guidelines for flossing:
- 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 as soon as they have two touching teeth.
And be sure you are using good technique. Your Mayfield Dental Care dentist or hygienist will be happy to give you a refresher course on flossing and brushing. Here’s what you should do:
- 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.
- Use clean sections of floss as you go from tooth to tooth.
Eat a healthy balanced diet and limit sugar intake
This sounds like advice a mother might give, but a nutritionally sound diet and limited sugar consumption are better for more than just your profile. The ADA suggestions are simple and relatively easily achieved.
- Limit your sugar consumption.
- 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.
Regularly visit Mayfield Dental Care
Once again, the ADA has suggestions!
- Regular dental check-ups are essential to good oral health.
- Visit your Mayfield Dental Care dentist regularly, ideally twice a year!
- Dentists can uncover problems that you might not notice, including tooth decay and gum disease.
As our contribution to Dental Health Week, Mayfield Dental Care is offering the following promotions for the week and beyond:
- New Patients Pay No Gap: No Gap for dental checkup, clean, fluoride & 2 x-rays (with any health insurance).
- New Patients No Health Insurance: Only $145 ($95 for kids) for Checkup, Clean & Fluoride
- Kids Mouth Guard – No Gap for Health Funds; NO health funds only $99.
Making a Better Dental Future at Mayfield Dental Care
Mayfield Dental Care provides excellence in dentistry with the slogan, “Customer satisfaction must be our top most priority”. Our guiding principles are innovation, culture and care.
Our equipment is cutting-edge and our outlook is forward-looking to provide you with the best dental experience you have ever had.
Mayfield Dental Care has world-class dental and orthodontic specialists, cutting-edge technology, caring support staff who are extremely experienced in the field, and a comfortable and welcoming environment.
Call us on (02) 4023 3885 or book your appointment online today!