Dental News - Aussie health organisations release new oral health and nutrition statement

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 24. May 2016

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MELBOURNE, Australia: Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) and the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), the country’s leading body for nutrition experts, have collaborated to compile a new position statement on oral health and nutrition. The joint statement, which was released last week at the DAA National Conference in Melbourne, emphasises the important role of dietitians in promoting oral health in their day-to-day work.

This position statement highlights the benefits of two industry bodies working collaboratively to improve patient outcomes. The CEOs of both DAA and DHSV agreed that dietitians have a crucial role in addressing oral health and that lifelong synergy between diet and oral health can help improve treatment outcomes in a number of patient groups.

“There is now increasing evidence that oral health is strongly linked with major chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke, as well as adverse pregnancy outcomes,” said DAA CEO Claire Hewat, an advanced accredited practising dietitian. “Nutrition and diet affect the development and progression of oral diseases—the two are naturally linked. If we improve what a person eats, their dental health will also improve,” she added.

The position statement offers practical information for accredited practising dietitians, including an overview of oral health risk factors, a summary of protective features of the diet, and a guide on oral health and nutrition through the life stages. Additionally, it provides a framework for action to build the confidence and knowledge of the existing workforce and for tertiary education curricula for future professionals. In the statement, the organisations conclude that oral health should be integral to the practice of dietitians and other nutrition professionals in their various work settings.

“The data tells us that oral health conditions are the second most expensive disease group to treat, after cardiovascular disease, with $8.7 billion spent Australia-wide on dental treatments in 2012–13,” explained DHSV CEO Dr Deborah Cole.

Evelyn Volders, an accredited practising dietitian and a member of the working group that developed the statement, said dietitians employed in community and public health settings often work with groups at high risk of poor oral health and chronic illness.

“Dietitians can and should incorporate simple strategies into their work and collaborate closely with oral health professionals to support and encourage optimal oral health,” she said.

The position statement draws on the National Oral Health Plan, the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Infant Feeding Guidelines.

The statement can be accessed free of charge on the DAA website, http://daa.asn.au/.

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