The Australian and New Zealand Chapter of the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) are delighted to announce that they have partnered with the Poche Centre for Indigenous Oral Health and Macquarie University, to provide much needed funding to support their Water Project.
The Water Project aims to reduce the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs), which are a key risk factor for tooth decay, through installing refrigerated and filtered water fountains in schools and communities in rural and remote Australia.
“Choosing water is not a simple oral health measure for all Australians. Our research shows that lack of access to clean and palatable drinking water is a roadblock to oral health for Aboriginal people who live in rural and remote areas” said Dr Kylie Gwynne, who leads the Water Project for the Poche Centre. “It would be surprising for many to learn that literally hundreds of communities across Australia do not have access to free, palatable drinking water”.
The Poche Centre has been championing the Water Project since 2013, working with local communities in rural and remote areas to co-design and ensure sustainability. As well as identifying those rural and remote communities in Australia in need of water fountains through data mapping.
“We are so grateful for the continued support and funding from the ACFF, who will be a key partner in assisting the Poche Centre and Macquarie University to scale this project in 2021. We want every child to have access to clean and palatable drinking water because we know that when they do, they happily drink more water and less soft drink,” continued Dr Kylie Gwynne.
The research from the Water Project has shown that many children and adults in rural and remote communities across Australia consume sugary drinks more than water, as the tap water in these communities is not palatable. It is too warm and has a poor taste.
“We know that tooth decay is largely preventable and oral health promotion measures, such as the installation of filtered water fountains in remote communities, makes choosing water much easier for children and adults in these communities,” said Dr Susan Cartwight, Member of ACFF ANZ Chapter Team and Colgate Scientific Affairs & Public Health Manager.
The ACFF ANZ Chapter has been advocating the key message of ‘Choose Water’ for several years as part of its mission to achieve a cavity-free future. The Chapter has run a number of successful oral health promotion campaigns to promote this key oral health message and reduce the risk of tooth decay.
“This project very much aligns with our goals and our Chapter of the ACFF is delighted to support the Poche Centre’s Water Project and to play our role in contributing to a cavity-free future through enabling a community in need to choose water over sugary drinks and reduce their risk of tooth decay” said Professor Kaye Roberts-Thomson, ACFF ANZ Chair.
To learn more about the ACFF head to https://www.acffglobal.org/
For more information on the Australian and New Zealand Chapter please visit https://chapters.acffglobal.org/anz/
If you are interested in supporting the Poche Centre’s Water Project you can get in contact here poche.admin@sydney.edu.au.
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