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31 July 2006
Australian teens are highest risk group for dental decay
Dentists say the consumption of soft drinks and sport drinks is contributing to a marked decline in the dental health of Australian teenagers.
Research indicates that boys aged 16-18 years get most of their energy source from consuming carbonated drinks, and current ABS data shows that almost 80 percent of all 12-17 year-olds are consuming soft drink every week.
Australian Dental Association Queensland President Robert McCray said dentists recommend limiting intake of soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juices because of their erosive effect.
Dr McCray said the over consumption of fast foods and beverages – expressed in the growing number of obese and overweight teens – is also contributing to increasing tooth decay rates.
Teenagers are the target of this year’s Dental Health Week 2006, with a new audio-visual documentary Teeth Talk developed by the Australian Dental Association Queensland Branch in conjunction with Queensland Health.
The CD presentation can be viewed as an audio visual documentary in classrooms or dental and medical waiting rooms and is a key initiative of Dental Health Week 2006, being launched in Brisbane this week.
ADAQ President Robert McCray said Dental Health Week aims to raise awareness about the damage that fashion choices – in the form of trendy drinks, lip and tongue piercings, smoking and “junk” food – can cause to teeth.
“Dentists are seeing increasing dental damage because of the erosive nature of soft drinks, alcoholic mixes and sports drinks that have high sugar or high acid levels,” Dr McCray said.
The Teeth Talk presentation CD is available free from the ADAQ and while it is aimed at a teenage audience, it is also suitable for viewing by children and adults.
Download an order form via http://www.ada.org.au/Branches/Qld/_Dental_Health_Week.asp or call 07 3252 9866.
All of the information included on this web site is accurate to the best of knowledge of the Australian Dental Association (Queensland Branch). To make the text more readable for non-scientists, ADAQ has deliberately minimised attributions and links to supporting files or scientific attachments. However these sources are readily available if required and many can be found via www.health.qld.gov.au/fluoride. |
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