children's oral health Archives - Bite Magazine

ADA analysis finds tens of thousands of NSW residents face “postcode lottery” for oral health

Editor — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 23:26:35 +0000

Almost 217,000 residents in regional and rural NSW are without fluoridated drinking water, putting their long-term oral health at risk, according to a new analysis by ADA NSW. Fluoridation outages and non-implementation across multiple LGAs mean families in these communities are unfairly disadvantaged by what ADA NSW is calling a “postcode lottery” for children’s teeth. The detrimental […]

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Over 1.5 million kids a year missing out on free dental care

Editor — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 22:39:03 +0000

With a massive underuse of a free dental scheme for kids which sees 1.5 million kids a year missing out, dentists are calling on the Government to put an end to the misinformation surrounding the scheme—and better promote it to parents. New data from an Australian Dental Association (ADA) survey of 25,000 adults shows that […]

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ADA blows the lid on the nation’s bathroom habits

Editor — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:03:57 +0000

An Australian Dental Association survey of 25,000 people released to mark Dental Health Week (4-10 August), has revealed the quirky oral habits of millions of Australians. Here are some of them: “This presents a choking hazard with young children, and they won’t be getting the job done properly without a mirror or adult assistance,” ADA […]

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UQ research finds fluoride has greater benefits for vulnerable children

Editor — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 23:45:11 +0000

Water fluoridation is effective in preventing tooth decay overall, but there are greater benefits for children from lower socio-economic backgrounds, University of Queensland research has found. Professor Loc Do from UQ’s School of Dentistry, and researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan and the University of Adelaide, conducted a study that examined Australian children’s […]

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WA research identifies root cause of tooth decay in kids

Editor — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 23:57:38 +0000

A lack of oral health literacy among caregivers and access to dental services is driving tooth decay in young children research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has confirmed, with early childhood tooth decay affecting nearly half of Australian preschool aged children. ECU senior lecturer Dr Ruth Wallace said that if left untreated, cavities and tooth decay can impact children’s […]

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Topical treatments halt progression of cavities in children for years, study finds

Editor — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:27:42 +0000

Two topical treatments applied to kids’ cavities can stop the majority of them from progressing for years, according to a US study. Treating more than 10,000 cavities in New York City elementary school students, researchers at NYU College of Dentistry found that both atraumatic restorations (ART) and silver diamine fluoride (SDF) kept most dental decay […]

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Bottle-feeding toddlers to sleep linked to dental decay and excess weight

Editor — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 22:58:21 +0000

Parents and carers should avoid using a bottle to put toddlers to sleep, say experts, after new Australian research reveals the practice is linked to dental cavities and overweight in early childhood. The research, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, was led by the University of Sydney, using data from over […]

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Hard evidence of soft teeth—the oral symptoms of hypophosphatasia

Editor — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 22:33:10 +0000

In the third national dental survey of hypophosphatasia in Japan, researchers analysed the dental issues faced by Japanese patients, publishing their findings in Scientific Reports. Hypophosphatasia is a relatively common skeletal disease that primarily affects bone and tooth strength. People with hypophosphatasia have variants in the gene responsible for making tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase, which is important […]

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JCU students help communities in far north brush up on oral health

Editor — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 23:10:18 +0000

A James Cook University dentistry outreach program has visited Far North Queensland towns Cooktown and Hopevale for the first time as students hit the road to deliver important oral health messages. As part of a third-year subject, students and JCU dentistry staff shared practical tips and resources with primary school kids, helping them understand how […]

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Photodynamic therapy with annatto colorant found to be effective against bad breath

Editor — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 23:09:08 +0000

A study by researchers working in Brazil shows that antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in which blue light targets annatto colorant is a feasible and effective option for treatment of halitosis in mouth-breathing children. Annatto is an orange-reddish pigment derived from the seeds of Bixa orellana (achiote or urucum), a shrub native to tropical parts of the Americas. Mouth […]

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Early orthodontic treatment for children

Editor — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 21:16:16 +0000

Early orthodontic treatment for children as young as six can reduce the need for braces, but compliance is a key area of concern. By Angela Tufvesson At Art of Smiles in Alexandria in Sydney’s inner south, early orthodontic treatment is all about reducing the need for braces, explains dentist and practice owner Dr Artur Shirokov. […]

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ADA backs call for healthier food advertising for kids

Editor — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:36:18 +0000

The Australian Dental Association has joined with more than 40 public health, consumer and community organisations backing a call by Food for Health Alliance for the Federal Government to reduce junk food ads for kids. The ADA has backed a call-out by the Food for Health Alliance to the Federal Health Minster, Mark Butler, to […]

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Water fluoridation found to be less effective now than in past

Editor — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:21:17 +0000

The dental health benefits of adding fluoride to drinking water may be smaller now than before fluoride toothpaste was widely available, an updated Cochrane review has found. The team of researchers from the Universities of Manchester, Dundee and Aberdeen reviewed the evidence from 157 studies which compared communities that had fluoride added to their water supplies with […]

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Henry Schein Australia facilitates access to oral care to school children in PNG

Editor — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 23:47:53 +0000

Henry Schein Australia has announced its continued support for the YWAM MS School Dental Program, to provide dental services, training opportunities, and health education to primary and secondary schools in the National Capital District in Papua New Guinea. Henry Schein donated consumable products to support the mission that took place from 19 May to 1 June […]

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On the move: mobile dental clinics

Editor — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:35 +0000

Have van, will travel! Forget the fixed clinic. These dental companies are shaking up the status quo and bringing check-ups and fluoride treatments directly to their patients. By Rachel Smith Any dentist will tell you they’ve heard every excuse in the book as to why patients skip their twice-yearly check-up. There are only so many […]

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The crisis in paediatric dentistry

Editor — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:45:39 +0000

Children across Australia are being left to suffer with chronic pain as the crisis in paediatric dentistry deepens. Sunshine Coast paediatric dentist Dr Tim Keys is advocating for urgent change. By Shane Conroy Dr Tim Keys is on the frontline of Australia’s paediatric dentistry crisis. As a practising dentist at the Children’s Dental Centre on […]

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Kids’ dental issues mostly preventable, dentists declare in Dental Health Week

Editor — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 23:32:11 +0000

The latest results from the Australian Dental Association’s (ADA) Consumer Survey of 25,000 people reveals a litany of factors contributing to infant and child tooth decay—from excessive sugary drink consumption including fruit juice and soft drinks, to not starting dental visits early enough, not accessing government-funded free dental entitlements and only taking children to the […]

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Dental visits found to increase with support from pediatric providers

Editor — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 00:02:55 +0000

Primary care pediatric clinicians could influence parents’ decisions to take their children to the dentist, according to a new clinical trial in the US. In a study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio showed that children’s dental visits increased when providers were trained to talk to parents about oral health, […]

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Government delivers funding boost to dental health of indigenous children

Editor — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 22:13:36 +0000

The Cook Government in WA is providing more than $2 million to support two Western Australian-based research projects—one focused on the dental health of Indigenous children in remote communities. (The other one is targeting mental health issues for students.) Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson said the funding was being provided via the Government’s successful Future […]

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Bupa urges regular dental check-ups for kids to curb hospital surge

Editor — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 01:25:24 +0000

Bupa is encouraging parents to book regular dental check-ups for their families amidst research suggesting potentially preventable hospitalisation rates for young children due to dental conditions are surging at around 29 per cent above target levels. The 2024 Oral Health Tracker Report by the Australian Dental Association, suggests that almost 11 in every 1000 Aussie children aged […]

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Teeth on Wheels: a driving force

Editor — Sun, 05 May 2024 22:57:26 +0000

Two brothers started Teeth on Wheels to deliver oral healthcare to school kids. A decade later, they’ve treated 80,000 children. By Kerryn Ramsey When oral health therapist brothers, Joseph and Rami Zeid, started a mobile dental clinic in 2015, they wanted to make a difference to children’s attitude to visiting the dentist. Their plan was […]

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Mouth Monster

Editor — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:08:21 +0000

In her new children’s book, Mouth Monster, dental hygienist Tanya Deacon has come up with an effective—and entertaining—way of communicating to young people the importance of taking care of their oral health. By John Burfitt As numerous published reports have revealed, many Australian children are not brushing and flossing their teeth on a daily basis. […]

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SDF prevents cavities and keeps existing ones from worsening in school-based program

Editor — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 22:16:04 +0000

An inexpensive, cavity-fighting liquid called silver diamine fluoride (SDF) worked as well as dental sealants to keep tooth decay at bay in a school cavity prevention and treatment program, according to a new study by US researchers. The study by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry, which followed more than 4000 elementary school students for four years […]

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CDBS: There for the taking

Editor — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 22:00:00 +0000

If the Child Dental Benefit Schedule is such a great initiative supporting children’s dental wellbeing, why are only one third of eligible Australians using it? By John Burfitt Figures for the uptake of the Medicare-funded Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) are worrying low. According to the Australian Dental Association NSW Branch, only 37.9 per cent […]

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A supervised toothbrushing toolkit to tackle tooth decay in children

Editor — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 21:44:00 +0000

A new toolkit developed by a UK team to increase supervised toothbrushing for younger children aims to address health equalities caused by tooth decay. Researchers from the University of Sheffield, University of Leeds and Bradford Improvement Academy, have developed free online resources for NHS organisations, local government, schools, nurseries and parents, as part of the BRUSH project […]

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