How the pandemic has caused a decline in dental health

The stress of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decline in the public’s dental health, the Australian Dental Association says.

It comes as dentists report an uptick in the amount of patients presenting with broken teeth and broken fillings, both consequences of increased “grinding” which can be a symptom of stress.

Deferred treatment due to dentists being shutdown and long wait-lists for public dental works were also cited as a factor.

“There are a lot of really big problems,” CEO of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Dental Association, Matthew Hopcraft, told Tony Jones on 3AW Mornings.

“We’ve had more than 200 days of lockdown in Victoria where people have had to defer their treatment … so we’re seeing the impacts of that.

“The tooth grinding … with a lot of stress and anxiety that people are feeling, and then public dental health waiting lists, and the poor funding for public dental services that means people are having to wait way too long.

“So there’s a really big problem that we’re seeing across the board.”

Press PLAY to hear the full interview below

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