Dental Health Week acts as a reminder to Australians about the importance of oral health and how they can easily incorporate healthy habits into their daily life, without feeling overwhelmed.

How often you brush, how long you brush, the kind of technique and the toothbrush you use all impact on the effectiveness of your brushing. For instance, did you know you should brush for a minimum of two minutes, twice a day? Most people don't come close to brushing for that long, often brushing their teeth quickly and distractedly.

if you're relying solely on brushing, you're not effectively cleaning a large portion of your teeth; so, flossing should be an essential part of your oral care routine and not an optional extra. By using floss to remove the plaque from between your teeth, you're helping to prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and halitosis (otherwise known as "bad breath"). That's a lot of upside for just a couple of minutes spent each day flossing between your teeth!

The reality is our eating habits play a major role in tooth decay, which is a diet-related disease. Sugars in the food and drinks we eat are taken up by bacteria, producing acids that attack the outer layer of tooth enamel to cause decay.

The Australian Dental Association strongly recommends the use of a mouthguard in any sport or activity where collision or contact is likely, and during both games and training. Often, injuries in sports or activities that do occur are those we didn't even consider to be a danger.