ANYONE born today should go to the grave with a full set of teeth, according to dental experts and those working on the dental frontlines.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Industry professionals encourage adults to change their dental health with preventative measures, and for young adults and children to form good dental routines, to save their smiles in light of concerning research into the state’s oral health.
New data shows western Victoria has worse rates of untreated decay for all age groups than the state average, except those aged under five years old.
About 51 per cent of western Victoria residents are eligible for public oral health services but Dental Health Services Victoria’s high level oral health and service access data indicates only 30 per cent of those eligible are accessing care at a public dental clinic.
DHSV chief executive officer Deborah Cole said low-income families tended to present higher rates of decay but they were usually able to access more dental care, via the public system, than those juggling costs without health concessions.
“We’ve been quite surprised how often people are unaware what care is available,” Ms Cole said. “At the moment the Commonwealth child dental benefits are still open so cost is not a reason for kids to miss out on the dentist and there is no wait for children.
“Cases are triaged so those at higher risk and needing emergency care can be seen straight away. People need to know they are not forgotten.”
Ms Cole said public dental waiting lists in Ballarat were about 14 months, above the state year average, but this was likely because more residents were eligible for care.
Ballarat Health Services’ modern teaching clinic in Sebastopol had more chairs and, like the nearby Hepburn Health Service clinics, offered a caring community approach.
Ms Cole urged every one, public and private patients, to get in the system and have a regular check-ups every one to two years to avoid larger dental problems in the long term.
Hepburn Health dental coordinator Elizabeth McLoughlin-Finn said dental health should take a community approach, like school canteens eliminating sugary foods like doughnuts and sugary drinks, with diet a major factor in both oral and general well-being.
Ms McLoughlin-Finn said people should not underestimate the importance of brushing twice a day, flossing right and eating a well-balanced diet, including calcium, as protective dental measures.
Hepburn Health has dental staff in Creswick and Daylesford who also work closely with a HHS dietician to educate people on eating the right foods and limiting sugar intake.