ADA Dental Health Week

Dental Health Week

Dental Health Week (DHW) is the Australian Dental Health Association’s major annual oral health campaign which takes place in the first full week of August each year. This year it will be observed from 2-8 August.

This year’s campain is all about taking the steps to take care of your teeth and gums to help keep your teeth and your smile for life. The ADA’s main oral health messages and the four key messages of the DHW campaign stress on the importance of maintaining good oral health to keep your teeth for life. The four points are:

• Brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean between your teeth daily using floss or interdental brushes.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet and limit added sugar intake.
• Visit the dentist regularly for check-ups and preventive care.

The campaign is also focusing on the fact that Australians should not be ‘prepared’ for getting their teeth removed at some stage of their life as a result of tooth decay or gum disease, but rather they should expect to keep their teeth for their lifetime and practising these four simple routines can help people to reach this goal. After all, you do not expect to lose an arm or leg, so why expect to lose any of your teeth?