The high cost of dental treatment is stopping almost half of all New Zealanders from seeking care when they need it. Funding at least parts of dental care publicly could change that.
Baby teeth are only temporary. But they are important – so please look after them.
Philippe Put/flickr
Mihiri Silva, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Your teeth started to grow even before you were born.
Labor has promised A$8 billion in new health expenditure, while the Coalition has focused on the difference new pharmaceuticals can make to individual Australians.
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Unlike health care for the rest of our body, dental care mostly comes out of our own pocket – and it’s not cheap. Many Australians go without and their health suffers.
You may think you know everything about keeping your teeth healthy, but what you don’t know might surprise you…
Up to 14% of toddlers have “hypomineralised second primary molars” (HSPM), where the enamel (outer layer) of the second baby molars doesn’t develop properly.
plantic/Shutterstock
Wisdom teeth can be a pain. Here’s when you should have them removed.
Most of the time you won’t be able to tell if a puppy or kitten’s tooth falls out. Often they fall out in food, or the animal might even swallow them.
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The latest poll on children’s oral health shows many parents have misconceptions about how to prevent tooth decay in their children and don’t know of the free dental services available.
Teeth fossils with evidence of dental lesions from Australopithecus africanus.
Ian Towle
Jeffrey Craig, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Pamela Leong, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and Toby Hughes, University of Adelaide
Can you blame bad teeth on your genes? Here’s why the answer is not as simple as you might think.
Adding fluoride to tap water to prevent tooth decay is one of our greatest public health achievements. Yet, myths persist about whether it’s safe and works.
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Myths that fluoridated water isn’t natural, safe, doesn’t work and shouldn’t be used to make up infant formula persist. Here’s what the evidence says.
The edges of your lost tooth are sharp because when the root of the baby tooth is being eaten away, it tends to start from the middle of the root. That leaves a sharp edge behind when the tooth breaks off.
Flickr/Stephanie Young
Nicholas, aged 6, was watching TV one day when his tooth fell out. He noticed that the bottom edge of the tooth was very spiky. Now he wants to know why.
Sugary gummie vitamins are no substitute for a healthy diet.
It is our view vitamin “gummies” that contain food acids, and have a high sugar content, are not medicines consumers need and their sale should be prohibited on public health grounds.
Families who are around at mealtimes can check their relatives are swallowing food properly and alert nursing home staff if there’s a problem.
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Poor oral health in our nursing homes can lead to many complications, including choking to death. Here’s how family and staff can help advocate for better care.
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne