The NobleDentist Blog

This is an article by Kate Sikora and Neil Keene that recently appeared in The Daily Telegraph – Australia.

TODDLERS as young as 18 months are being forced to undergo thousands of dollars worth of dental work as tooth decay reaches ``epidemic’’ proportions in NSW.

Dental experts said yesterday parents were spending up to $5000 on crowns for children whose teeth are deteriorating before they even hit preschool.

Australian Dental Association Oral Health Committee chairwoman Dr Philippa Sawyer said almost half of Australian children under four suffered untreated tooth decay.

“If that many children had some other sort of disease, and remember that tooth decay is a disease, then it would be called an epidemic,” she said.

Dr Sawyer cited a recent Australian study which found 48 per cent of children suffered from untreated tooth decay, but only 10 per cent had seen a dentist.

ADA president Dr Neil Hewsen said the spread of sugary, acidic drinks and snacks aimed at children was largely to blame.

“Over the last 20 years or so the decay rate among children has been dropping but now we’ve had this blip upwards,” he said.

A NSW Health spokeswoman said decay could begin before a child’s first birthday.

“The issue is largely related to early feeding patterns and often the prolonged and extensive use of nursing bottles containing sugary drinks,” she said.

Dr Hewsen said the situation had become so dire that shock advertising campaigns like those about smoking and skin cancer were needed to hammer the message home.

“We try to get through these prevention messages and for some people it works but for a lot of people it doesn’t,” he said.

NSW Health figures show by age five almost 40 per cent of children have untreated decay, while more than 30 per cent aged five to eight do not visit a dentist regularly.

Children start losing their first set of teeth from about the age of six, but Dr Hewsen said those baby teeth were critically important for long-term dental health.

Children who live in communities without fluoride in their tap water, Aboriginal children and children from lower socio-economic areas are much more likely to show early signs of decay, according to NSW Health.

“But 80 per cent of the decay is in 20 per cent of the children,” Dr Sawyer said.

Newcastle mum Alison Lewis said she had learnt about the issue after a dental hygienist visited her daughter Stella’s preschool.

“She came home telling us all how to brush our teeth properly,” Ms Lewis said.

A recent dental check confirmed that Stella, 4, was clear of any signs of decay.

“Fifty per cent of children don’t have tooth decay, so it’s totally achievable for the other half not to either,” Dr Sawyer said.

This article by Daniel Bateman recently appeared in The Cairns Post – Australia.

FLUORIDE is officially flowing through the Cairns region’s water supply.

Cairns Regional Council started adding fluoride to the region’s water supply last night as part of a test of equipment before the chemical is permanently added from December 31.

The chemical, which Queensland Health says will strengthen residents’ teeth against the effects of tooth decay, was added to the Tunnel Hill Water Treatment Plant, near Copperlode Dam.

Acting Infrastructure and Planning Minister Rachel Nolan said the council had successfully completed pre-operational testing of newly- installed dosing equipment at the treatment plant.

“It’s no secret that Queenslanders have the highest level of tooth decay in the country,” Ms Nolan said.

“The introduction of fluoride into our drinking water supply is a crucial step forward in addressing this problem with Cairns the latest region to come online.”

Cr Linda Cooper, who has been critical of the move, said there was no concrete evidence areas were better off with fluoridated water.

“I would much prefer to see the State Government spending their money on things like fluoride tablets that the public may choose to ingest if they so wish to do so,” Cr Cooper said.

“This is taking away absolute choice from people and it’s mass medicating, which no government should have the right to do.”

The Australian Dental Association of Queensland yesterday issued a statement claiming fears about fluoride being added to water supplies were unfounded.

ADAQ chief executive officer Paul Andrews said most of Australia, including Townsville, and every capital except Brisbane had fluoridated water for more than 30 years.

“Contrary to what many people opposed to fluoridation might imply, we are yet to see people living in Townsville, New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory suffering from bone cancer, fluorosis, birth abnormalities or any other effects,” Mr Andrews said.

“Water fluoridation is one of the most important ways of preventing dental caries and has worldwide support of peak public health and dental authorities.”

This is an article that recently appeared in The Toowoomba Chronicle – Australia.

FLUORIDE won’t flow into Toowoomba’s bulk water supply until the end of March.

Toowoomba Regional Council Deputy Mayor Paul Antonio said the initial January deadline was not going to be met because council had been “held-up with a number of things totally beyond our control”.

“We have gone to a lot of trouble to make sure we’ve got it dead right,” Cr Antonio said.

“Our management people have been in constant discussion with the State Government.”

Cr Antonio said the TRC was open to a $120,000 fine if it could not introduce fluoride to the Toowoomba supply by March 31.

“But I would suggest that the government would be pretty bloody-minded to implement that fine.

“We’re pretty comfortable with the fact that we’ve done the best for the people of Toowoomba.”

The Australian Dental Association Queensland issued a statement yesterday attempting to quell Queensland residents’ concerns about the introduction of fluoride.

“It is not a new concept and it is not untested.

“Fluoridation immediately acts to strengthen the outer surface of teeth in people of all ages,” the statement said.

This is an article by Zane Jackson that recently appeared in The Queensland Times – Australia.

IPSWICH’S drinking water has reached its full dose of fluoride.

Results obtained by The Queensland Times show the Mt Crosby water treatment plant has recorded 0.76mg/L of the chemical, placing the city’s supply within Queensland Health’s required concentration. The news has angered anti-fluoride campaigners.

Queenslanders Against Water Fluoridation spokeswoman Merilyn Haines said the chemical was a poison that damaged teeth and caused other serious health problems.

“This is a program of unethical mass medication which was forced upon us all,” she said.

“There is a mountain of evidence out there that shows it can cause a range of health problems and because of its nature it accumulates in the body.”

But Australian Dental Association Queensland past president and spokesman Greg Moore said fluoride would make a significant improvement to Ipswich residents’ teeth.

“The most dangerous level of fluoride in the water is zero – fluoride is vitally important for dental health,” he said.

“In five years time when the babies who have been drinking fluoridated water now grow teeth, they will have significantly better dental health than those not exposed to fluoride.”

Media reports yesterday suggested Seqwater had under-dosed the chemical into water supplies.

A spokesman for Seqwater said fluoride levels had been low during some parts of 2009, but only because they did not want to rush its introduction.

“Seqwater deliberately took a conservative approach to the introduction of fluoride into the region’s water supplies – starting at lower levels and gradually building over the bedding down period,” the spokesman said.

“Most importantly each quarter since starting operation Mt Crosby has consistently delivered above the 0.4mg/L deemed by Queensland Health to deliver a health benefit.”

An increase in capacity of dosing plants meant levels jumped from an average of 0.44mg/L in the quarter up to June 2009 to the current average.

Fluoridation of Queensland’s water supply was controversially introduced by the State Government in 2008, with the chemical first entering Ipswich’s water in December of that year.

Queensland Health’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the program would eventually reduce public hospital dental waiting lists.

“Fluoridation will address what has been an epidemic of tooth decay in Queensland, one of the most expensive challenges in our public health system,” she said.

This update was published recently in the ABC - South East South Australia.

South Australian health authorities say they will meet people in Mount Gambier before the city’s fluoridation plant begins operating.

A former president of the Australian Dental Association, Dr Andrew Harms, wants a public debate with the South Australian Government over plans to fluoridate Mount Gambier’s water supply.

He says there are proven health risks associated with adding fluoride to drinking water.

David Cunliffe from SA Health says there are plenty of studies showing that fluoridation is safe and improves dental health.

“There is good Australian evidence that it reduces dental care needs and some of that has been led by Professor John Spencer from Adelaide and his team,” he said.

“So there are publications that show that adding fluoride does improve dental health.”

Dr Steven Liu of Birkdale Dental Practice has recently become a participating dentist.

Dr Steven Liu and his team are located at Suite 10B, 120 Birkdale Road, Birkdale Queensland.

Members wanting to make an appointment can simply click on Dentists Brisbane for contact details.

Dr Steven Liu and the team look forward to assisting members of NobleDentist.

To learn how to save hundreds and even thousands of dollars off dental fees click on dental.

Surrounding suburbs include Wellington Point, Ormiston, Cleveland, Thornlands, Victoria Point, Sheldon, Alexandra Hills, Capalaba, Capalaba West, Chandler, Gumdale, Ransome, Thorneside, Lota, Wakerley, Manly, Manly West, Wynnum West, Hemmant, Lytton, Mackenzie, Burbank, Mount Cotton, Point Talburpin, Green Island, Peel Island, Coochiemudlo Island, Garden Island, Macleay Island, Pannikin Island, Long Island, Russell Island, Karragarra Island, Lamb Island, Cassim Island, King Island, St Helena Island, Wynnum Central, and Wynnum North.

This is an article that was published recently in The Australian – Australia.

AUSTRALIAN Governments continue to dither, with no firm action to assist disadvantaged Australians gain more equitable access to dental care.

The Council of Australian Governments at its meeting in December could only agree “that long-term health reform was required to deliver better services for patients, more efficient and safer hospitals, more responsive primary health care and an increased focus on preventative health”.

Frankly, the time for words has ended. The time for action is now.

The Australian Dental Association has for years advocated better resourcing of public dentistry.

In response—and against the submissions of the ADA and other expert opinion—the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission in its A Healthier Future for All Australians report, has returned a recommendation to establish a universal dental health scheme to be mainly run through health funds, with the working title of Denticare Australia.

Let’s address Denticare Australia last, because it’s the only black mark against the commission.

Australia’s dentists in principle support and have historically advocated most of the commission’s recommendations. In particular, we strongly advocate the transfer of funding responsibility for chronically under-resourced state public dental services to the commonwealth and better funding for oral health education and promotions across the country.

Similarly, the creation of one-year internships for all dental graduates, to be served primarily in public dental services, is an excellent initiative and good for our profession.

However, the Denticare Australia proposal is another matter. The commission estimates the cost at $5.5 billion annually. It proposes it be funded by a new income tax set at 0.75 per cent of personal income. Theoretically, this would fund a universal hybrid public-private scheme offering a limited range of basic dental services: prevention, restoration and provision of dentures.

But the Australian Health Insurance Association estimates Denticare Australia’s annual cost at $11bn.

The ADA leaves such calculations to others, and instead focuses on its position of expertise: the provision of targeted, appropriate, high-quality dental care.

Equitable access to dental care is good. But without an eligibility filter or means test this universal scheme will not ensure equitable access. In fact, it’s more likely to increase access for people who already gain access to dental services. It’s reasonable to expect everybody and anybody to take more opportunity to get some basic “free” dental work done, then top up any follow-up treatment with their own funds.

And what about those who cannot afford follow-up treatment? Well, they will simply have to make do. By the commission’s reporting, thousands of Australian adults are on public dental waiting lists, with an average waiting time of 27 months.

This is the disgrace that must be addressed. It won’t be resolved by offering rebates on a limited range of basic dental services in return for a tax increase.

The ADA has a counter-proposal. We call it DentalAccess. It is based on the premise that more than two-thirds of Australians report they have access to dental care, and by that we understand affordability and proximity of services.

DentalAccess is targeted to provide more comprehensive dental treatment for the other 30-plus per cent of Australians, helping them become dentally fit, rather than to provide a band-aid solution to the problem.

It’s a targeted, equitable, cost-effective fair go for Australians who suffer double disadvantage when it comes to oral health.

On the one hand, disadvantaged Australians can’t afford or otherwise access quality dental services, largely because the public system is so profoundly underfunded and lacking in infrastructure. On the other hand, financial and social disadvantage is a recognised precondition for a complex array of health problems, among them poorer oral health and wellbeing.

A scheme such as DentalAccess, made available to disadvantaged Australians, would achieve what the commission, Australia’s dentists and—we would trust—Australia’s leaders all seek: provision of quality and continuing care without the complication, inequality, low-level service and uncapped cost of the Denticare Australia model.

What would DentalAccess cost? It certainly won’t be free. How could it be funded? A bold direction would be to collect the cost from recognised sources of oral health problems. How about a levy on foods and drinks with high sugar content and a share of tobacco or alcohol excise?

It’s widely accepted that it’s impractical to deliver dentistry under a universal population access structure. The ADA’s submission—providing dental care for those who cannot afford or gain access to dental services—practically achieves equality of access without the impracticality of Denticare Australia.

Also, the ADA does support initiatives to encourage more dentists to work in rural locations and in the public sector.

This is not a new conversation. We can do better. If we have the will.

Neil Hewson is federal president of the Australian Dental Association.

Dr George Coumbis of Sherwood Forest Dental Centre has recently become a participating dentist.

Dr George Coumbis and his team are located at 679 Sherwood Road, Sherwood Queensland.

Members wanting to make an appointment can simply click on Dentists Brisbane for contact details.

Dr George Coumbis and the team look forward to assisting members of NobleDentist.

To learn how to save hundreds and even thousands of dollars off dental fees click on dental.

Surrounding suburbs include Graceville, Chelmer, Tennyson, Rocklea, Corinda, Oxley, Seventeen Mile Rocks, Sinnamon Park, Darra, Moorooka, Yeerongpilly, Yeronga, Fairfield, Annerley, Ekibin, Tarragindi, Nathan Heights, Salisbury, Durack, Richlands, Willawong, Acacia Ridge, Wacol, Sumner, Jamboree Heights, Mount Ommaney, Jindalee, Kenmore, Chapel Hill, Kenmore Hills, Brookfield, Westlake, Middle Park, Riverhills, Long Pocket, Indooroopilly, Taringa, Toowong, Jay Park, and Mount Cootha.

Dr Casey Tseng of Beenleigh Market Place Dental has recently become a participating dentist.

Dr Casey and her team are located at Shop 45, Beenleigh Market Place, 114 – 118 George Street, Beenleigh Queensland.

Members wanting to make an appointment can simply click on Dentists Brisbane or Dentists Gold Coast for contact details.

Dr Casey Tseng and the team look forward to assisting members of NobleDentist.

To learn how to save hundreds and even thousands of dollars off dental fees click on dental.

Surrounding suburbs include Holmview, Bahrs Scrub, Mount Warren Park, Windaroo, Bannockburn, Belivah, Yatala, Stapylton, Gilberton, Woongoolba, Steiglitz, Jacobs Well, Norwell, Ormeau, Luscombe, Wolffdene, Logan Village, Buccan, Logan Reserve, Ormeau Hills, Kingsholme, Cedar Creek, Yarrabilba, Pimpama, Wongawallan, Tamborine, Eagle Heights, North Tamborine, Chambers Flat, Willow Vale, Coomera, Upper Coomera, Alberton, Carbrook, Point Talburpin, Mount Cotton, Cornubia, Eagleby, Waterford, Edens Landing, Loganholme, Tanah Merah, Bethania, Waterford West, Crestmead, Marsden, Loganlea, Park Ridge, Heritage Park, Regents Park, Browns Plains, Boronia Heights, Hillcrest, Forestdale, Parkinson, Drewvale, Berrinba, Logan Central, Kingston, Meadowbrook, Shailer Park, Daisy Hill, and Slacks Creek.

Dr Steven Liu of Birkdale Dental Practice is becoming a participating dentist.

This should take place by Monday, 18 January 2010. Contact details will be in Dentist Brisbane.

Dr Steven Liu is located at Suite 10B, 120 Birkdale Road, Birkdale, Queensland.

To learn how to save hundreds and even thousands of dollars off dental fees click on dentist.