In the lead-up to Dental Health Week, the Australian Dental Association has been canvassing the big oral health issues with Australia’s 17,000 dentists. Here are some of the big topics which the nation’s dentists are dealing with right now, along with a few helpful suggestions and questions for the future.
1. DIY dentistry
The TikTok trend of DIY dentistry is doing harm around the world. Ideas like straightening your own teeth with rubber bands, filing teeth with nail files or sandpaper and mixing home cocktails of cola and apple cider vinegar (to remove stains), are just a few of the dangerous and destructive techniques dentists are worried about.
2. Whitening myths
The accompanying, growing trend for DIY whitening (one in five Australians have their teeth whitened according to the latest data) is causing a variety of problems, including; swallowing bleach, burns to soft tissue in the mouth, leaving bleach on too long (causing extreme pain and sensitivity), tooth discoloration, and extreme pain (when bleach gets into untreated decay and cracks and broken fillings).
Dentists stress that it’s better to do whitening under professional supervision in practice.
3. Teeth in aged care
What’s wrong with oral health for people in aged care and what needs to be done to fix it? The ADA is hopeful that solutions advocated for prior to the recent federal election will be enforced by the Albanese Government, including a seniors’ dental funding scheme.
So far, the noises from Canberra are positive.
4. Vaping
This is a growing trend causing deaths, seizures and a range of serious health harms. The latest (2021) Australian National Drug Household Survey showed vape use doubled in 14-17 year-olds, and quadrupled in 25-29 year-olds, between 2016 and 2019.
Nearly two in three current smokers and one in five non‑smokers aged 18–24 reported having tried e‑cigarettes. Among those who had tried vapes or e-cigs, frequency of use also increased, with more people using them at least monthly.
At the same time, the technology is banned in some states, with the chemicals in e-cigs being linked to a range of cancers.
Schools are closing bathrooms as kids as young as seven have been caught vaping at school. What’s being done and how does it harm mouth health?
5. Green teeth (in a good way)
There are lots of ways you can help the environment with your oral health routines, including using a biodegradable toothbrush, turning the tap off when brushing, and scheduling all the family dental appointments at the same time, so you save on fuel emissions.
6. Mythbusting
There are a variety of oral health myths circulating, including:
- you must rinse after brushing
- the longer you brush the cleaner your teeth will be
- charcoal toothpaste is good for teeth
- what goes on in my mouth doesn’t affect the rest of my body…
7. Generational learning
Dentists say, when you ask your parents about their joints, aches and pains – why not ask about their mouth? Learn what to look out for in your mum or dad’s mouth if they’re an older Australian, and even more so if they’re in aged care (e.g. dry mouth/xerostoma, periodontitis/gum disease, gum recession, cracks or breaks in teeth, suspicious white patches).
Do some research and talk to your dentist about the problem signs and how to get them resolved.
What’s next?
Dental health has been in the news a lot lately with the Greens wanting to include it in Medicare and COVID affecting Australians’ oral health habits – including skipping dentist visits and essential treatments and check-ups.
As the economic situation worsens, less and less people can afford dentists, which is driving many of the big dental issues raised above.
Next up is Dental Health Week (1-7 Aug) the Australian Dental Association’s annual oral health campaign aimed at improving the nation’s oral health and broadening the discussion about what’s going on inside our mouths. It’s a great opportunity to learn more.
The Australian Dental Association will soon be publishing new data on the nation’s oral health habits (how often we visit the dentist, floss and brush, who’s whitening their teeth etc) based on a survey of 25,000 Australians. Stay tuned.
