Editorial: Something rotten in state of dental hygiene

THE idea of shocking dental decay and the loss of a third of a person’s teeth is usually regarded as something from a bygone era. We are supposed to have educated ourselves about dental hygiene and cleaned up our act as far as mouths are concerned.

THE idea of shocking dental decay and the loss of a third of a person’s teeth is usually regarded as something from a bygone era. We are supposed to have educated ourselves about dental hygiene and cleaned up our act as far as mouths are concerned.

It seems this is far from the case.

The Australian Dental Association has released figures that will shock people and, it’s to be hoped, serve as a wake-up call for parents and children everywhere. We’re told that about three million Australians are living with fewer than 21 of the requisite 32 teeth in their mouths because of a sugar addiction, a blase attitude to what they eat and a lack of proper hygiene.

The core of the problem is that the majority of Australians consume more than double the recommended daily intake of sugar – with most of them not realising just how much sugar there is in many of the common foods they eat.

While the daily sugar intake should be just six teaspoons, the average Australian consumes 14 teaspoons of sugar a day. This means that one in two people is consuming more than the recommended amount and, for a disturbing number, the recommended daily intake is exceeded by an alarming amount.

Generic pic of a dentist's head seen through a patient's open mouth while he checks the patient's teeth for cavities.

A Brisbane woman has told The Courier-Mail she had so many decayed teeth that by the time she was in her 30s, she was too embarrassed to smile.

She had worked in Queensland holiday resorts in her 20s and admits there was plenty of partying after she and her colleagues clocked off, which included consuming vodka drinks with orange juice and melon. “I would drink and then go to bed without worrying about brushing,” the woman said.

“My teeth really took a bashing.”

Many Australian families are unfortunately not fully aware of the dental care available for children covered by Medicare payments.

During a calendar year, children are able to access examinations, X-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions. For some children, this dental work can be worth up to $1000; if everyone took advantage of this, not only would we head off decay later in life, it would also help young Australians get into the habit of good dental hygiene. Everyone should check to make sure they are eligible and then talk to their dentist about accessing these services at the earliest opportunity.

What many people don’t realise is that everyday foods contain significant amounts of sugar. For instance, low-fat yoghurt has the equivalent of 12 teaspoons of sugar, while 100g of flavoured coffee includes 25 teaspoons of sugar. Something as simple as a dollop of barbecue sauce has three teaspoons of sugar in it. It’s no wonder two in five children have tooth decay and one-third of all adults have left their rotting teeth untreated.

We need to make sure children are educated about dental hygiene and made to realise the consequences of ignoring it. There also should be greater awareness of the amount of hidden sugar in the food we eat. There should also be moves to educate adults who consume sugary foods carelessly and then neglect the most basic dental hygiene. There is nothing worse than having a mouth full of decaying teeth and the shame that brings.

Dental hygiene is something that can be reinforced by early preventive action. We all need to ensure we are aware of what needs to be done – and do it.

REAL PAIN OF FLATLINING WAGES

AUSTRALIA’S millions of hard-working families will not be surprised by this week’s data from the Bureau of Statistics confirming wage growth in this country is flatlining.

The June quarter outcome was 0.6 per cent, contributing to an annual result of just 2.1 per cent, which precisely equals the rise in the consumer price index for the last financial year. Australian workers have now seen wages stay stagnant or decrease for a sustained period that has never been seen in 26 years of keeping statistics on these economic indicators.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged the slow growth in wages, but then boasted the 0.6 per cent June quarter increase was the fastest seen since 2014. What he neglected to mention was that this was because of the higher-than-anticipated minimum wage decision by the Fair Work Commission at the end of June.

Without this 3.5 per cent rise – which was condemned by many employers – wages in the June quarter would have again gone backwards. The other factor driving this increase is the above average growth in public sector wages.

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s Governor Philip Lowe said earlier this month he thought the slow rate of wages growth had troughed and we might see a more positive trend.

We can only hope this is the case, especially as July 1 saw a group of workers in hospitality, retail and pharmacies suffer another reduction in their penalty rates. There are strong arguments for bringing penalty rates under control and easing costs on these businesses, but workers do need access to more disposable income.

Perhaps those complaining about the slow growth in wages might reflect on their opposition to anything but the most basic of business and personal income tax cuts.

There’s no doubt tax relief for low and middle-income earners will put more cash into circulation – allowing people to take a few dollars out of their pockets and buy something they might otherwise have passed on – and that lower taxes for companies will give employers room to think about expanding their workforce or adding to their business in other ways. All of this would see the economy and jobs grow.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Sam Weir, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details are available at www.couriermail.com.au/help/contact-us