It's Women's Health Week

During Women’s Health Week (2-6 September) the ADAVB is encouraging women to make seeing their dentist a priority. Dental health is often overlooked, however poor dental health can have a huge effect on our overall health.

According to the Jean Hailes Foundation, the two biggest barriers for women not maintaining a healthy lifestyle is ‘lack of time’ and ‘health not being a priority’. Women’s Health Week is the time to do something for your health and start making positive changes that can last a lifetime.

It is important for women to see their dentist at least once per year not only for check-ups but to also learn about how to protect their teeth and gums during periods of hormonal change in various life stages such as puberty, pregnancy and menopause.

The ADA's 2018 Oral Health Tracker reported that only 55 per cent of Australians had visited the dentist in the last six months and only 57 per cent of women brush their teeth twice a day1. The Australian Women's Oral Health Survey in 2015 found that two thirds (67.1 per cent)3 of Australian teenage girls going through puberty don’t regularly visit the dentist.

A 2017 Jean Hailes research study found that the health condition women were most concerned about was menopause2. The 2015 ADA study found that of those entering menopause, almost half (48.9 per cent) had experienced signs of gum disease including sensitive teeth (26.9 per cent) and dry mouth (14.4 per cent), yet 70 per cent admitted they did not visit the dentist regularly3.

Dr Gitika Sanghvi, ADAVB President, said, “There are many myths surrounding dental work during pregnancy with some of our research indicating that over half of women surveyed avoided a visit to the dentist during pregnancy. It is very important to visit the dentist during pregnancy, as hormone changes can make gums more prone to bleeding, swelling and inflammation. Women going through menopause should also make time for regular dental visits. Dry mouth and gum disease are common ageing and menopausal related dental health issues. These can better managed or avoided through regular visits to your dentist and by following your dentist’s advice.”

A range of helpful oral health fact sheets are available on the ADAVB and ADA websites including topics such as oral health and lifestyle risks, ageing, menopause and pregnancy.

Learn more:

Oral health fact sheets

Your dental health

Find a dentist

References

1. 2018 ADA Oral Health Tracker: Download Technical Appendix Download Tracker PDF

2. Jean Hailes Women’s Health Survey 2017. https://jeanhailes.org.au/survey2017/report_2017.pdf

3. Australian Women’s Oral Health Survey, March 2015, conducted by Pure Profile commissioned by the Australian Dental Association.