New report reveals half of Australians don’t brush their teeth twice per day

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A new report has revealed that half of Australians don’t brush their teeth twice per day. A study conducted by a think-tank shows that only 50 percent of Australian adults are following the advice of their dentist and cleaning their teeth twice a day.

In a survey, which is the first of its kind, the Oral Health Tracker revealed a series of alarming oral health trends, which are contributing to rising rates of dental decay. The study showed that up to 90 percent of adults have a degree of dental decay and concerns have also been raised about the impact of lifestyle habits, such as smoking and drinking excessively.

Data obtained from the AHPC (Australian Health Policy Collaboration) suggests that adults are not the only casualties, as up to 75 percent of children are consuming too much sugar and a quarter of five year olds has signs of decay. Dental problems are also the most common cause of hospital admissions for children.

The Oral Health Tracker highlighted another issue that is contributing to high rates of decay in children, as research shows that 25 percent of teens didn’t have a dental check-up last year. The data suggests that women aged between 18 and 35 are most likely to brush twice-daily. Brushing habits were found to decline with age after this point.

Prof Rosemary Calder, director of the AHPC, concluded that the study showed that “we’re not doing terribly well as a nation” and stressed the importance of understanding the link between oral health issues and general and mental health problems. The body is particularly worried about children’s dental health, which seems to be deteriorating year on year.

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