The Importance of Tracking Oral Health

One of the greatest challenges we face as dental professionals is helping our patients be aware of the state of their oral health as well as maintain it in the long term. In this article, I hope to share some insights into the importance of tracking oral health and tools available to help your patients maintain optimum oral health. 

Peter Drucker, the renowned management consultant, once famously said that “you can’t improve what you don’t measure”.1 This statement rings true for any habit we have in life, whether consciously or unconsciously. When considering habits that maintain good oral health, we as dental professionals know all too well that brushing and flossing the teeth twice daily is the key. When establishing these habits however, a reliable tracking system is required to reinforce the habit long enough for it to become second nature. 

For young children aged less than 6 years of age, it is generally advised that parents brush the teeth for their children as children this age do not yet have the manual dexterity of fine motor control to be able to effectively brush well. Establishing these routines whilst young can ensure that once they start to brush on their own from 6 years old and older, they will automatically continue this habit. Of course in childhood, children seldom keep up habits of their own volition unless supervised and monitored by parents. One great way for children who are learning to brush on their own to track their brushing progress is the use of a daily tracking tool whereby they can tick after they complete the habit. One tool that is available to parents that clinicians can recommend is the Colgate Oral Health Heroes Challenge which is part of the Bright Smiles, Bright Futures educational resources. This includes a brushing challenge that requires children to tick the morning and night boxes for 28 days (4 weeks).2

Young Entrepreneur Council. You are what you measure. Forbes. December 4, 2018. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/councils/theyec/2018/12/04/you-are-what-you-measure/

Colgate-Palmolive. Colgate Oral Health Heroes Challenge. Colgate Palmolive. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://www.colgate.com.au/oral-health-education/educational-resources/oral-health-heroes-challenge

Colgate Global Scientific Communications. What Disclosing Tablets Can Tell You About Plaque. Colgate-Palmolive. 8, 2024. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/plaque-and-tartar/disclosing-tablets-plaque#

Colgate-Palmolive. Guided Brushing. Colgate Connect Support. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://connectsupport.colgate.com/hc/en-au/articles/4418730306578-Guided-Brushing

Colgate-Palmolive. Use Colgate Connect with Apple Health. Colgate Connect Support. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://connectsupport.colgate.com/hc/en-au/articles/4418706873874-Use-Colgate-Connect-with-Apple-Health

Colgate-Palmolive. Use Colgate Connect With Amazon Alexa. Colgate Connect Support. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://connectsupport.colgate.com/hc/en-au/articles/4418733980818-Use-Colgate-Connect-with-Amazon-Alexa