World Cavity Free Future Day 2020 Focuses on Healthy Smiles Across Generations

This year, The Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF)  is uniting chapters across the world to raise awareness that people of all ages are susceptible to dental decay and cavities. Having conversations about oral health can help prevent that. 

Sydney, Today, October 14th, 2020, marks the fifth annual World Cavity-Free Future Day (WCFFDay).   This year’s campaigns will focus on tooth decay as a disease across the life course, as each age group and generation is at risk of developing  tooth decay, a disease that is almost entirely preventable. This year’s call to action encourages  casual conversations among adults, children and seniors about how we can best look after our teeth and prevent tooth decay. 

Globally, nearly 100% of adults have tooth decay and oral disease affects 3.9 billion people, with untreated tooth decay impacting almost half of the world’s population. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in both Australian adults and children. Over 90% of Australian adults have experienced tooth decay. Latest statistics show that around a third (32.15%) of Australian adults have untreated tooth decay and 1 in 4 children (aged 5 to 10) had untreated decay in their baby teeth.

WCFFDay was launched as an initiative in 2016 to address the need for greater global awareness of dental caries, more commonly known as tooth decay. In addition, ACFF focuses on the wider issues that stem from poor dental health and raises global awareness about best practices for the prevention and management of caries and cavities. 

Ways to get involved with this year’s campaign include: 

• Use the hashtags #toothtales and #WCFFDay on social media this October 14th
• Watch, like and share this year’s  video competition entries here. Watch, like and share this year’s  video competition entries here. The winning videos will be announced globally on WCFFDay. 
• Share your top tooth-healthy tips or show us your best smiles to demonstrate your commitment to a cavity-free future
• Learn more about WCFFDay and ACFF and find out what activities are happening in your area

“Tooth decay is largely entirely preventable. We need to continue to have conversations about prevention across all age-groups and raise awareness of the simple ways we can easily  reduce our risk of tooth decay.  This includes, brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste, eating a balanced diet and limiting sugary foods and drinks and having regular dental check-ups,” said Professor Kaye Robert-Thomson, ACFF ANZ Chair.

“Untreated tooth decay continues to present a major international challenge across the life-course, unfortunately ranking number 1 in the Global Burden of Disease Study,” said Professor Nigel Pitts, (FRSE BDS Ph.D FDS RCS (Eng) FDS RCS (Edin) FFGDP (UK) FFPH), ACFF Global Chairman. “People of all ages need to learn how to prioritize their dental health. Starting a simple discussion of how we best can look after our teeth can create broader awareness and help all generations understand how we can achieve a cavity-free future.”

More information and resources on cavity prevention can be found here: https://www.acffglobal.org/wcffday/about/

About The Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future: 

The Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (https://www.acffglobal.org/) is a global not-for-profit organisation which seeks to promote integrated clinical and public health action to confront the disease burden of caries, fight caries initiation and progression, and, along with a global community of supporters, progress towards a Cavity-Free Future for all age groups. The ACFF was established in collaboration with a worldwide panel of experts in dentistry and public health who share a fervent belief in joining together across professional, geographic, and stakeholder lines, to create a unified global movement dutifully committed to combating caries in communities around the world. The ACFF is supported by Colgate-Palmolive Company, which supports improved oral health through its partnership with the dental professional and government and public health agencies.

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Distributed on behalf of the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future by QUAY Communications.  To arrange an interview with Kaye Robert-Thomson, please contact:

Cheryl Pettinau

QUAY Communications

cheryl@quaycommunications.com.au

0424 157 714