Kids could be facing a lifetime of dental problems

The results of Australia's Oral Health Tracker, released in March 2018, are in. And it’s clear that Aussie kids need to brush up on their oral health, and quickly.

The tracker, which was developed by dental academics/researchers, clinicians, policy and public health experts, confirmed alarming levels of tooth decay among children, with 3 out of 4 kids consuming too much sugar – a major cause of cavities.

The evidence also showed that one-third of 5 to 6-year-olds have had decay in their baby teeth, which puts them at risk of poor oral health in the long term.

Earlier this year, the Royal Children's Hospital National Poll found that by early primary school:

• 1 in 4 children needed a tooth filling
• 1 in 10 required a tooth pulled out because of decay
• around 1 in 20 required a hospital visit to treat a decayed tooth.

It’s plain to see that by helping your kids develop good oral health habits now, you can save a lot of stress, pain and money down the track, which is good for everyone’s health and wellbeing.

We asked the dental team at Connect Health & Community for their 3 top kids’ oral health tips:
1. brush for at least 2 minutes twice a day
2. keep sweet treats to a minimum
3. visit the dentist every 6 months.

Visiting the dentist can get expensive, but Connect Health & Community provides low-cost dental services for all children under the age of 13 (just $33 per course of care). So book your kids in today and prevent problems tomorrow.

Visit the dental services page on the Connect Health & Community website, or call 03 9575 5333.