Health News

Lindfield's North Shore Smiles Champions Everyday Oral Care Habits for Dental Health Week 2026

North Shore Smiles, the Kochia Lane practice led by Dr Caroline Downing for more than 30 years, is supporting Dental Health Week 2026 (3–9 August), the Australian Dental Association's annual campaign, which this year focuses on the oral health of Australians aged 18 to 25 through the “My Smile” initiative. While much of the national conversation around Dental Health Week touches on emergencies and cosmetic decisions, Dr Downing says the ADA's own advice for a lifetime of healthy teeth is refreshingly simple: brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, clean between teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes, eat a balanced diet and limit added sugar, and see a dentist regularly for check-ups and preventive care. For young adults moving out of home for the first time, she says, it's exactly these basics that tend to slip. “When you're living at home, there's usually a parent restocking the toothpaste, reminding you to floss, or keeping an eye on how many soft drinks you're having,” said Dr Downing, principal dentist at North Shore Smiles. “The moment young people move out, start studying full-time, or begin a new job, those small daily habits are often the first thing to slip, and that's exactly when we start seeing more decay and early gum disease in this age group.” Dr Downing points to the everyday realities of early independence — irregular meal times, more takeaway and coffee, energy drinks to get through study sessions or shift work, and simply being too tired at the end of a long day to floss — as common contributors to the oral health issues she sees in younger patients. Much of this damage, she notes, builds quietly and painlessly long before a patient notices anything is wrong. “A lot of the damage from missed brushing, too much sugar or one too many energy drinks doesn't hurt at first,” Dr Downing said. “That's exactly why the check-up part of Dental Health Week's advice matters so much for this age group — we can often see the early signs of a problem well before a patient feels a thing, and a small filling now is always easier than a root canal later.” North Shore Smiles has built its approach around prevention and education rather than simply treating problems as they arise, something Dr Downing says becomes even more important with younger patients who are managing their own oral care routine, often for the first time without guidance. Appointments typically include practical, personalised advice on brushing technique, flossing, and diet, tailored to a patient's actual daily routine rather than a generic checklist.  “Our approach has always been prevention first,” Dr Downing said. “I'd much rather spend ten minutes showing a young patient the right way to floss, or talking through their diet and daily habits, than spend an hour later fixing a cavity that a bit of daily care could have avoided altogether.” Dr Downing is encouraging young adults across Lindfield, Killara, Roseville and the wider North Shore to use Dental Health Week as the reason to review their daily oral care routine and book a check-up, particularly if it has been some time since their last visit. In conjunction with Dental Health Week, patients are invited to schedule a Check and Clean appointment to take advantage of the practice’s Smile Deals® Offer. “You don't need a perfect routine overnight,” Dr Downing said. “Brush twice a day, floss once a day, go easy on the sugary drinks, and come in and see us regularly. Those four simple habits will do more for your smile over a lifetime than almost anything else.” North Shore Smiles is located at 2/2 Kochia Lane, Lindfield NSW 2070. Appointments can be booked by calling (02) 8188 3831 or visiting North Shore Smiles online.