Oral Health Tracker finds a series of damning statistics.
To mark World Oral Health Day, the Australian Dental Association (ADA) and the Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC) have launched Australia’s first comprehensive Oral Health Tracker report, revealing a series of damning statistics about the state of the population’s teeth.
The research found 90 per cent of adults have some form of tooth decay, and risky alcohol consumption and smoking habits are contributing to poor oral health.
The Australian Health Policy Collaboration data also found almost three-quarters of children eat too much sugar and more than one-third of five-year-olds had decay in baby teeth.
Too many children are also ending up in hospital with preventable dental problems, with five to nine year olds having the highest rates of admissions.
The Oral Health Tracker also found about one-quarter of teens had not had a dental check-up in 12 months.
Adults aged 18 to 35 and women were more likely to feature in the 51 per cent of adults who brush their teeth twice a day, with brushing habits dropping off as people aged.
With oral health problems being among the most common and costly to Australians and the healthcare system overall, the Tracker has been designed to shine a light on the status of our national oral health, providing stakeholders with the evidence they need to formulate solutions to alleviate the oral health burden in Australia.
It’s more important than ever that our oral health community are empowered with the tools and knowledge necessary for positive change.
As the leading internationally-recognised day for raising global awareness about the pressing issue of oral health, World Oral Health Day is a fitting occasion to launch this game changing project which establishes Australia as the first country in the world with clear and measurable oral health targets.
The announcement also comes three days before Australia’s premier dental event, ADX18 Sydney, the biennial exhibition designed to empower oral health professionals to advance the health and well-being of all Australians. If you haven’t already, now is the time to register for ADX18 Sydney.
Optima is proud to be presenting as of of ADX18’s leading suppliers of dental products and services – make sure you say hi.