Dental Health Week 2023: Promoting Access to Dental Services and Advocating for Good Oral Health in Australia

Dental Health Week is a week-long event which aims to raise awareness about the importance of oral health and how to take necessary steps to care for your teeth and gums.Poor oral health can have a direct impact on the overall health of an individual, and more needs to be done to promote access to affordable dental services for all, and raise awareness about the importance of good oral health.

Dental Health Week 2023

This year's Dental Health Week is taking place from the 7th to 13th of August. Dental Health Week (DHW) is the Australian Dental Association's largest oral health campaign.In 2023, the key message of Dental Health Week is 'Mind, Body, Mouth. It's all connected'. This year, DHW will be focusing on the mouth and whole-body connection. Oral health directly links to overall health outcomes, and this DHW aims to raise awareness about how closely oral and general health are connected.The Australian Dental Association is working closely with other partner organisations to raise awareness, including Rethink Sugary Drink, the Cancer Council and the Heart Foundation.

Importance of access to dental services for all Australians

We should all expect to keep our teeth for our lifetime. Losing teeth due to gum disease or tooth decay shouldn't become the norm. Practising good oral hygiene and supporting your oral health can help you ensure you keep your teeth for life.Dentists play a key role in the identification, prevention and management of oral health conditions. Dental Health Week is a great time for dentists and other oral health professionals to highlight to their patients the importance of oral health and the link with general health.Everyone deserves to have access to affordable, quality and timely dental services in Australia. Those in rural areas or people in lower socio-economic groups don't always have reasonable access to necessary dental services.This annual event focuses on public health and accessibility to dental services, and the importance of high quality dental equipment for health providers. Dental Health Week is the perfect time to spread oral health messages about the importance of dental access for all.

The impact of oral health on wellbeing

Bacteria present in the mouth can travel to different places in the body and have adverse effects on an individual's general health. In addition, oral inflammation can cause inflammation throughout the body.These six health conditions have been explored in relation to oral health, and have been found to have a link to poor oral health:

• • Heart disease

  • Alzheimer's disease

  • Respiratory conditions

  • Type II diabetes

  • Adverse pregnancy outcomes

  • Inflammatory bowel disease

The impact good oral health has on the body is both physical and emotional. Good oral health allows people to function with confidence in relation to smiling, talking and eating. As above, it also minimises your chance of some health conditions that are a greater risk when associated with poor oral health.As well as affecting physical health outcomes when linked to certain diseases, poor oral health can be linked to social isolation, and communication and financial issues. Poor oral health can also be associated with mental health issues.

Common oral health issues and prevention

Common oral health diseases and conditions include:

• • Tooth decay

  • Gum disease

  • Oral cancer

  • Physical trauma to teeth

There are certain risk factors which increase the chance of developing oral health diseases. Prevention for common oral health conditions and minimising these risk factors include:

• • Rethink sugary drinks and food. Consuming food and drinks high in sugar leads to the breakdown of the bacteria that naturally live in a healthy mouth, leading to the formation of acids which attack the enamel of the teeth.

  • Brush your teeth twice daily. Make it part of your daily routine to brush your teeth in the morning and at night to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Families should get their children involved with daily brushing of the teeth from a young age.

  • Floss regularly. To avoid plaque build up.

  • Regular dental check-ups. Schedule regular check-ups with an experienced dentist to identify and address any issues early.

  • Quit smoking. Smoking increases your chance of oral cancer.

  • Limit your alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol increases your chance of oral cancer.

  • Protect your face and teeth. Especially when taking part in physical activity such as sport.

  • Eat a balanced diet. Good nutrition supports good oral health and overall wellbeing.

Dental supplies from LFA First Response

Here at LFA First Response we are committed to supporting Dental Health Week and raising awareness about the importance of good oral health for overall general health.Dental professionals need the correct equipment to ensure they can deliver a high level of care to their patients. We aim to support dental professionals and the wider community with quality dental supplies and equipment, such as bactol hand wash, reusable face shields and kidney dishes.

Get involved this Dental Health Week

Dental Health Week (starting 7 August) is the best time to have discussions around dental health and schedule a check-up at the dentist. Dental professionals can use this annual campaign to educate their patients about the whole-body connection related to oral health.Get in touch with LFA First Response today to see how we support Dental Health Week and dental professionals by supplying quality medical supplies and equipment.