Australian teeth worst in developed world despite fluoridation.
Peter Weekes
October 1, 2006
A NATIONAL advertising campaign similar to the successful Slip, Slop, Slap push against skin cancer is needed to stop the nation's teeth from rotting, says the Australian Dental Association. The association wants the Federal Government to take overriding responsibility for promoting dental health as figures reveal that Australia has the highest tooth extraction rate in the developed world. The average Australian will suffer serious decay in at least 10 teeth by their late 30s. And our overall dental health is second-lowest among developed nations. "We have the second-worst health for adults and there are disturbing trends with kids at the moment," the association's president, Bill O'Reilly, said. "Dental disease is completely preventable. If you have a good brushing and flossing routine, you shouldn't have a problem." Dental experts say people with poor teeth endure ongoing pain, difficulty in eating and talking, gum disease and bad breath. Decayed teeth have also been linked to premature, low- weight babies, heart disease, brain damage, diabetes and obesity. Professor John Spencer of Adelaide University, who is conducting a new national audit of the country's teeth, has published two major reports on the state of the nation's teeth. "Since the 1990s we have had some deterioration in oral health, which we think is due to lack of exposure to fluoride or due to increased exposure to dietary-rich factors," he said. "The jury is out on which of those played a more significant role." After fluoride was added to tap water in the 1960s and '70s, the rate of tooth decay plummeted. Many now think society's newfound love of bottled water and filtered tap water may be eating away at our teeth. Sports drinks and fizzy drinks are likely to be even worse, Dr O'Reilly said. The results of the audit will not be known for about 18 months. However, a 2004 study by Professor Spencer found dental health was deteriorating, with a widening gap between the "haves and have-nots". "There is nothing to suggest this has changed, only accelerated," he said. Typically, low and middle-income earners have the poorest teeth and availability of care "either because of the inadequacies of the torn and tattered safety net of public dental services or their inability to purchase an adequate scope of private dental care", he said.
There are an estimated 650,000 pensioners and other healthcard holders on the national waiting list.
October 1, 2006
A NATIONAL advertising campaign similar to the successful Slip, Slop, Slap push against skin cancer is needed to stop the nation's teeth from rotting, says the Australian Dental Association. The association wants the Federal Government to take overriding responsibility for promoting dental health as figures reveal that Australia has the highest tooth extraction rate in the developed world. The average Australian will suffer serious decay in at least 10 teeth by their late 30s. And our overall dental health is second-lowest among developed nations. "We have the second-worst health for adults and there are disturbing trends with kids at the moment," the association's president, Bill O'Reilly, said. "Dental disease is completely preventable. If you have a good brushing and flossing routine, you shouldn't have a problem." Dental experts say people with poor teeth endure ongoing pain, difficulty in eating and talking, gum disease and bad breath. Decayed teeth have also been linked to premature, low- weight babies, heart disease, brain damage, diabetes and obesity. Professor John Spencer of Adelaide University, who is conducting a new national audit of the country's teeth, has published two major reports on the state of the nation's teeth. "Since the 1990s we have had some deterioration in oral health, which we think is due to lack of exposure to fluoride or due to increased exposure to dietary-rich factors," he said. "The jury is out on which of those played a more significant role." After fluoride was added to tap water in the 1960s and '70s, the rate of tooth decay plummeted. Many now think society's newfound love of bottled water and filtered tap water may be eating away at our teeth. Sports drinks and fizzy drinks are likely to be even worse, Dr O'Reilly said. The results of the audit will not be known for about 18 months. However, a 2004 study by Professor Spencer found dental health was deteriorating, with a widening gap between the "haves and have-nots". "There is nothing to suggest this has changed, only accelerated," he said. Typically, low and middle-income earners have the poorest teeth and availability of care "either because of the inadequacies of the torn and tattered safety net of public dental services or their inability to purchase an adequate scope of private dental care", he said.
There are an estimated 650,000 pensioners and other healthcard holders on the national waiting list.
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8:45 PM
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