Put on your toothiest grin! Dental Health Week (DHW) is here, running 7-13 August 2023.
This year, DHW highlights the link between oral health and your whole-body health. As part of the festivities, we’re running pop-up screenings and education for our community, and launching a clinical trial in residential aged care.
About Dental Health Week (DHW)
DHW is the major annual oral health campaign by the Australian Dental Association held every year in the first week of August. The occasion is a celebration, aiming to empower people to take charge of their oral health and reinforce the importance of maintaining good oral health and keeping your teeth for life.
Mind, Body, Mouth It’s all connected
The theme for 2023 is “Mind, Body, Mouth It’s all connected”; raising awareness for the influences that oral health can have on the health of the rest of the body.
Almost half of the Australian population has one or more chronic disease and yet 70% of people are not aware of the link between their oral health and chronic medical conditions. For example, there are strong links between severe gum disease and conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Oral health is also linked to systemic health connections such as:
- Atherogenic Cardiovascular Disease (Heart Disease)
- Type II (2) Diabetes
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Respiratory / lung conditions
- Alzheimer’s Disease / neurodegenerative conditions
- Adverse pregnancy outcomes
How to maintain good oral health
This week is a great time to consider how good oral hygiene can improve the health of the mouth, and how that can reduce the negative effects of chronic health conditions. The four steps to maintaining good oral health are:
- Brush teeth twice a day using fluoride toothpaste.
- Clean between your teeth every day using floss or interdental brushes.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet and limit added sugar intake.
- Visit the dentist regularly for check-ups and preventative care.
It’s not normal to expect to have some of your teeth removed because of tooth decay or gum disease. After all, you do not expect to lose an arm or leg, so why expect to lose any of your teeth? Australians should aim to keep their teeth for their lifetime.
DHW for our community
During DHW, Monash Health Dental Services (MHDS) has organised various activities for the community to learn how to maintain good oral health practices to support a healthy body:
- Promotional display tables at all Monash Health Dental Clinics.
- Provide flyers and leaflets about Dental Health Week and oral health.
- Free dental check-ups at .
- Additional o.
Free dental screening program at Yarraman Nursing Home
To celebrate DHW, MHDS is working with Monash Health Residential Aged Care to launch free dental screening at Yarraman Nursing Home.
A report by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety found that older adults living in residential aged care facilities suffer from deteriorating oral health, tooth loss and severe dental pain. The high rates of dental caries continue to be a significant health problem faced by this population group, along with the increasing reliance on aged care staff to tend to the residents’ basic oral and personal hygiene needs.
To address this preventable disease, MHDS is undertaking the Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) project in partnership with the aged care sector. The research and clinical trial will test the effect of silver diamine fluoride in treating root decay in residents living in residential aged care facilities.
Get involved with DHW
There are multiple ways to get information about oral health during Dental Health Week. If you have not had a recent visit to the dentist, it is a great time to make an appointment. A visit to your dentist for face-to-face advice is the best way to get your questions answered. If you are looking for information, visit the Australian Dental Association website (teeth.org.au) to find trustworthy and up-to-date oral health advice written by dentists from around Australia.
You can also find information about Monash Health Dental Services here:
