Dental Health Tracking Tips in Wantirna South

August is upon us again, and with it comes Australian Dental Health Week (5^th-11^th).

The first full week of August is the week the Australian Dental Association has designated for widening the discussion of oral health in Australia.

This year the theme is a question – “How’s Your Oral Health Tracking?” This question has two aspects to it.

First, it is asking, are you currently doing all you know to maintain your oral health? Second, how are you monitoring your oral hygiene?

At Dr Sachdeva’s dental clinic, we like both questions, because if you can answer them correctly, it likely means you are on top of your oral hygiene!

But staying on top of and tracking oral hygiene is particularly tricky in two age groups – children and seniors.

Both youngsters and seniors would seem to have time to keep track of their oral hygiene, but they also have some characteristics that make this monitoring more difficult.

Let’s take a look at what those issues are, and what can be done to ensure that young and old, alike, are on track for oral health!

Dental Health Week and Children

Children, while lovely, can be disorganised and spontaneous, two traits that aren’t always compatible with great oral health.

And children depend on us to introduce them to ideas and techniques of things like oral hygiene.

This is why it’s great that Dental Health Week is such an excellent time to introduce your children to the importance of dental health!

Search the web to see if there are any Dental Health Week events being held in your neighbourhood.

Or, take advantage of the ADA’s Dental Health Week website and download an informative, colourful, and printable posters with messages for children.

Two posters focus on the dangers of sugary and acidic drinks like soda pop, a real problem as 73% of young Australians (14-18 years) regularly consume too much sugar!

The information also contains helpful hints for parents:

1. Begin oral hygiene by brushing the gums, even before teeth are present
2. Don’t swallow excess toothpaste or rinse your mouth with water
3. Control toothpaste amount – a ‘pea-sized’ dollop is all you need.
4. Make brushing into entertainment with a song or relevant smartphone app.
5. Visit Dr Sachdeva’s dental clinic before the first birthday or when the first tooth erupts.
6. At the dentist, always stay positive, praising their listening skills and how they follow instructions.

But the main thing to focus on during Dental Health Week is encouraging your children to develop good oral habits and track them.

One way to do this is to explicitly track their oral hygiene with a chart or stars, and reward them when goals are met.

Keeping seniors on track

Seniors often know what they should be doing; it just becomes more difficult to do it. And good oral hygiene is critical as we age.

According to Elderly Dental, sufferers of gum disease are doubly likely to develop cardiac disease or have a stroke.

Bacterial buildup in the mouth is another issue, as it is linked to pneumonia and diabetes. These are diseases of great concern to seniors.

The point is that problems that arise as minor issues in the mouth can quickly escalate to general-health issues, even potentially lethal ones.

And these threats are made worse by a web of underlying issues that accompany aging. Dr Sachdeva’s dental clinic breaks these into two categories:

Decreased oral hygiene. As we age, we may lose manual dexterity, which reduces how efficient our brushing and flossing are.

We may also have reduced access to transportation, which makes it more challenging to reach the dental office.

Finally, incomes and dental insurance may decrease, making it more difficult to afford required dental service.

The result of all this is that oral hygiene and care can be less effective as we age.

Memory. Memory issues associated with aging can make it harder to keep track of oral hygiene. In this case, a family member or caregiver may be called on to keep track of oral health.

For children and seniors, ‘tracking’ dental health is a key part of keeping it. If you have any questions, Dr Sachdeva’s dental clinic is happy to help you “Get on Track”!

Convenient, Competent Care at Dr Sachdeva’s dental clinic

Dr Sachdeva’s dental clinic is located near Burwood Highway, on Stud Road in Wantirna South. We offer free and convenient parking and are on public transport lines.

Dr Sachdeva’s dental clinic offers early evening and weekend hours, emergency treatment, and we can be contacted by phone or on our convenient online contact form.

If you want a dental surgery at which the dentist takes time to determine precisely what your concerns are, what your desires are, and then makes decisions based on what you indicate? Then our office is right for you.

Our technology is unsurpassed including “One-stop” Cerec restoration and SNAP Dental Imaging Software. Our training is also top-notch.

Wantirna South dentist also serving local communities in Knox City, Boronia, Bayswater, Scoresby, Rowville, Ferntree Gully, Vermont, Vermont South, Burwood, Burwood East, Ringwood, Ringwood East and Wantirna.

Call us on (03) 9800 2338 or book your appointment online.

We are located at 287 Stud Road in Wantirna South.

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