Anthropologists gather clues about how our ancient ancestors lived from their teeth. What will future anthropologists make of us based on the fossilized pearly whites we’ll leave behind?
Gum disease progresses slowly over a period of 20 to 30 years before the teeth are lost.
from shutterstock.com
Can taking a selfie as you brush your teeth help make you a better brusher? A small pilot study indicates it may. Most of us, as it turns out, are not very good brushers.
While flossing may not be fun, it is still good for you.
From www.shuttertock.com
Millions smiled last week when it was reported that there’s no evidence to support the flossing of teeth. A dentist sees it differently and suggests we continue the practice.
There have been number of short-lived Commonwealth funding programs for dental care in the past.
AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
The absence of comprehensive dental care exacts a toll on millions of Americans in terms of poor health, pain and the social stigma associated with bad teeth.
Be careful which gum you chews: some sugar-free gums are bad for your teeth thanks to acids that cause tooth erosion.
Amy Messere/Flickr
A recent study found sugar-free products can be just as damaging to your teeth as sugar because many of them contain acid that causes tooth erosion. But what about sugar free gum?
The Beckhams are having none of it.
Lucas Jackson/Reuters
Holistic dentistry claims to promote overall wellness rather than simply treating disease. But the lack of evidence for the alternative therapies underpinning it are cause for concern.
Good teeth often correlates with good health. But one in five over-65s have lost all their teeth.
m01229/Flickr
An Aussie smile is an instant indicator of socioeconomic status, employability and self-esteem. It’s also a predictor of physical health. So it’s shocking that Australians’ dental health has not improved…
Bleeding gums are very common but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. They’re usually a sign of gum (periodontal) disease. If treated in its early stages, periodontal disease can be easily reversed…
The burden of pain and discomfort, disfigurement and disability from dental decay is very large in Australia.
Pete Simon
Mandatory water fluoridation introduced by the former Queensland government is being rolled back by some local councils, which have been given the power to decide whether to continue with the public health…
Biodiversity matters, even in your mouth.
Mandy Jouan
The more we look, the more we realise just how important intact ecosystems are for our own well-being - and it really doesn’t matter at which scale we are looking. When Alan Cooper, Director of the Australian…
Fluoridated water is the best drink option for children, but a new study has found many are consuming sugary drinks instead.
Wouter van Doorn
Soft drink health warnings should include advice on the risk of tooth decay, say researchers from the University of Adelaide, after another large study connected sugary drink consumption and tooth decay…
Obesity, over-diagnosis, the NDIS, vaccinations and open access for genetic information were just some of the issues covered in 2012.
Kylie May; shutterstock.com; Morberg; Pranjal Mahn
It promised to be a full year of reforms: pokies legislation, front-of-pack food labels and a dental system that doesn’t cost those in need an arm and a leg. But while we did see cigarette companies forced…
Fluoridated water protects against the tooth decay from acid produced by bacteria in the mouth.
T. Faltings
The most effective way to prevent tooth decay is delivered to most Australian homes every day through their water pipes. It is, of course, fluoride distributed via the water supply. Dental decay occurs…
It’s common enough for a tooth to be knocked out on the footy field, in the playground, during a fight, or even a fall. The blood, shock and pain can easily cause you to panic but, as with most things…
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne