Halloweeners - don't eat too many sweet treats, dentists advise

Enjoy Halloween but watch the consumption of sweet treats. That’s the advice of the Australian Dental Association.

“Sweets, candy and sugary drinks and snacks are an established part of Halloween. … We hope Halloweeners confine the consumption of these treats … We also hope that they give their teeth immediate attention after consumption of those treats to avoid any damage to teeth,” Dr Peter Alldritt, Chair of ADA’s Oral Health Committee, said.

To ensure that sugar-related acid attacks on teeth are minimised, ADA recommends a number of tips including:
•    Limit the amount of sugary treats children can have
•    Check the nutritional information of snacks that are marketed as “healthy”
•    Children should brush their teeth before going to bed.

“The only crooked mouths we want to see on Halloween are those on pumpkin Jack-o’-lanterns,” Dr Alldritt said.

Students warned to resist unhealthy buzz during exams

Leading health experts are urging students to avoid using energy drinks to fuel study sessions and exams as some products deliver 21 teaspoons of sugar and as much caffeine as two-and-a-half espresso shots.

The 13 health and community organisations behind Rethink Sugary Drink warn that energy drinks can leave students struggling to concentrate when they need to most and regular consumption can lead to serious health problems in the long term.

Cancer Council Australia’s Public Health Committee Chair Craig Sinclair said: “The high levels of caffeine and sugar in energy drinks cause energy and blood sugar levels to spike, but after about an hour the caffeine and sugar in your body starts to wear off and you’ll feel tired and lethargic. So in the middle of your exam or study session, your energy levels are likely to crash making it difficult to focus.

“If consumed regularly the high sugar content in energy drinks can lead to weight gain and obesity, increasing your risk of heart and kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers.”

Australian Dental Association’s Oral Health Committee Chair, Dr Peter Alldritt, said energy drinks are also a major contributing factor to tooth decay and tooth erosion. ADA is a partner of Rethink Sugary Drinks.

Join us at a member-only private health insurance forum

The ADAVB is holding a member-only event to address members' concerns about private health insurers (PHIs).

Come along and find out about the newly launched ADA Inc. #time2switch campaign which encourages dental practitioners and patients to lodge complaints against PHIs, and helps consumers to review their private dental cover.

Find out about ADA Inc's advocacy action regarding private health insurer issues and withdrawing from health fund "preferred provider" schemes.

The event concludes with a Q&A session to share your views.

Date: Thursday 3 November 2016
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Venue: The Pullman Hotel
65 Queens Road, Albert Park VIC 3004

View the program

RSVP by Thursday 27 October 2016.

Register online (login required) or email sonia.georgiades@adavb.org

New eviDent project idea proves a winner!

And the winner of the eviDent project ideas competition is…. Dr Jamie Robertson for his project that seeks to explore the oral health indices of young diabetic patients.

The award was presented at the eviDent Foundation Annual Meeting on Thursday 6 October.

The project seeks to answer:

• Do the oral health indices of young diabetic adults attending Sunshine Hospital differ from those of matched controls without diabetes?
• Do these indices also correlate to the diabetic group’s level of glycaemic control?

The project research protocol will be developed, funding will be sought and the investigators will then call for participants. Stay tuned for further updates!

Thanks to all entrants, who submitted dental questions that could be addressed through practice based research. The committee welcomed all suggestions, and included three of those in our eviDent project bank.

Find out more about eviDent projects
Support the eviDent Foundation Alpine Charity Challenge Trekkers

Benefit from halving sugar intake

As part of World Obesity Day and SugarSwap Week, there is a new campaign – SugarByHalf – which encourages people to reduce their sugar consumption by half. By doing this, obesity, dental caries and diabetes can be tackled.

Founded by Australian cricket team doctor Peter Brukner, the campaign - particularly focused on sugary foods - aims to protect current and future generations from the health dangers of eating too much added sugar.

According to the World Health Organisation guidelines for optimal health, we should limit our added sugar intake to six teaspoons a day. However, the average Australian consumes 16 teaspoons of added sugar per day - children and teenagers have more than 20 teaspoons.

Campaign organisers have a vision where this generation of children live as long or longer than their parents. A future where kids and parents are healthy and happy, getting excellent nutrition from the food they eat. A world where rates of Type 2 diabetes, obesity and other health problems are declining, especially in children and young people.

ADA supports this campaign, as it does the Rethink Sugary Drink project.

Urgent - Volunteers wanted for dental program

The Victorian Royal Flying Doctor Service’s Dental Clinic  urgently needs dentists to volunteer for November to carry out screening and oral health education in eastern Victoria.

Volunteers are needed for November 7-11 in the Mansfield area and November 14-18 in Eildon and Marysville.

RFDS Victoria covers the accommodation and travel costs.

Patients who need follow-up dental treatment will be offered referral to local dental providers or the RFDS Dental Clinic mobile van.

The program is a joint venture between RFDS Victoria, Dental Health Services Victoria and ADAVB.

For further information, contact Alison Avery, Clinical Coordinator, RFDS Victoria - phone
0419 546 613 or 03 8412 0441, email alison.avery@rfdsvic.com.au