Long suspected of having a correlation with heart disease, gum disease, for instance, is now regarded as a risk factor in heart disease. It remains to be proven conclusively but American researchers say there are threads of evidence suggesting a link.

People with diabetes are more prone to gum disease but there is also evidence that it works the other way. A study conducted in 2006 showed that diabetic individuals with periodontal disease had worse long-term control of blood sugar.

Poor oral health is also common in patients with chronic kidney disease and may contribute to increased health complications and death rates because of inflammation, infection and complications from hardening of the arteries. 

With dental health suspected of being linked to chronic disease, which impacts hugely on the federal health budget, it makes sense that we do our best to ensure children have the best form of access to oral health care. The crippling costs of going to a dentist mean many in lower socioeconomic do not get the care when they most need it – as children, when there is the chance of rectifying problems before they become acute.

Other countries seem to have recognised that saving young teeth can save money in the long run. The National Health Service in the United Kingdom is renowned for the quality of dental care it offers citizens. 

Here is Australia, we can ill afford the continual buck-passing over dentistry. If we can commit $50 billion to 12 submarines over 30 years, we can surely do better in terms of ensuring the ongoing good health of our citizens.

Yet, like clockwork, ahead of a federal election we see both sides of politics engage in a tiptoeing exercise around a serious health issue: the Federal Government scrapping a $1000 a year per child allowance every two years for parents to get their kids into the dentist and replacing it with a scheme many argue will overwhelm the decaying public dental health system. The opposition, in turn, is accused of ripping money out of dental health.

Our children deserve much better. It’s time all sides of politics did their best to make oral health affordable for all.