Dental Health Week 2020: Let’s become more ‘Sugar Savvy!’

We are pleased to once again join in on the upcoming Dental Health Week celebrations! This year’s theme questions ‘How Much Sugar is Hiding in your Trolley?’ and ultimately aims to help everyone become more “sugar savvy.”

We all know sugar is bad for us (especially for our pearly whites!), but how much sugar do you really know you are eating per day?

Sugar can hide in many everyday foods, even ones you may consider to be “healthy” or claim to have no added or refined sugars. Indeed, sugar hides in plain sight with over 50 different forms and names, all of which can cause your sugar consumption to add up very quickly. And they can all contribute to tooth decay!

Dr Rawinderpal Singh said “Individuals with a high sugar intake/diet have a higher risk of developing diabetes which in turn increases the risks of acquiring gum disease, which further aggravates blood sugar levels, setting a vicious cycle. This shows how our dental health is closely related to our general health and that the tooth should not be seen as the tooth alone!’’

Figures show that the average Australian is consuming up to 14 teaspoons a day, which is more than double the World Health Organisation’s recommended limit of 6 teaspoons of sugar, or 24 grams, per day.

As well as eating well, good oral health habits should also include brushing twice-a-day, flossing once-a-day, drinking water and seeing your dentist regularly. It is not as always easy to know how much sugar we are consuming, which is why organisations including the Australian Dental Foundation and Australian Dental Association have put together several resources to help you better understand what is really in your food and drinks, so that you are within the recommended range.

We are also proud to be partnering with leading oral health charity, the Australian Dental Foundation, to provide local residents living in the greater Yorke Peninsula region with an extended, out of hours emergency dental triage service. 

Through the generous support from Country SA PHN, we will also be trialling an extended, after hours dental service offering to improve regional access to dental services outside of regular working hours. Simply call us during or after hours at the clini0c on (08) 8825 1116, or via our direct emergency dental hotline on 0407 111 117.

“We’re pleased to fund and support these after-hours services to help increase access to dentists for the Yorke Peninsula community,” said Country SA PHN, CEO, Kim Hosking.

“We hope this trial will help bridge the gap in health inequity for these rural residents.”

Rest assured that our team are only a phone call away and can help support you should a dental emergency occur either during or after hours.

Moonta Dental are dedicated to assisting you and your family in developing and maintaining positive oral health habits. If you and/or any of your family members are due to see the dentist or suffer from a dental emergency, please call the team on (08) 8825 1116.