Educating 18-to-25-year-olds on wisdom teeth and cosmetic dentistry

As part of Dental Health Week 2026 (3-9 August), the ADA is taking the message to a very busy group of people – 18-to-25-year-olds who are dealing with a lot of life changes all at once. 

It makes sense that they can’t be top of everything but one thing we don’t want falling through the cracks is their oral health, including regular visits to their dentist. 

The calls-to-action for Dental Health Week this year will centre about encouraging this cohort to:

1. Book in with their dentist, or if they don’t have a dentist, to locate one using the ADA’s Find a Dentist service

2. In addition, encouraging this age group to:

• Brush twice a day using a fluoridated toothpaste.
• Clean in-between teeth daily using floss or interdental brushes.
• Eat a nutritious diet, low in sugar.

3.    Visit the ADA’s consumer-centric, peer-reviewed oral health information site, Teeth.org.au

Beyond this core oral health messaging, the ADA will also run three mini-campaigns, including two on wisdom teeth and cosmetic dentistry. (Read the previous article on mouthguards and sport)

1. Cosmetic procedures

In "Recent advances in cosmetic dentistry: A review" (Bioinformation. 2025 Jun 30;21(6):1597–1601. doi), the authors note that cosmetic dental procedures can be categorised as “non-surgical” and “surgical”. The former involves alterations to “tooth colour, shape or position with minimal damage to the underlying tooth structure” and includes “teeth whitening, gum contouring orthodontics, tooth-bleaching and direct adhesive restorations”. By way of contrast, “surgical” cosmetic dental procedures can “cause irreversible change to the tooth,  soft tissue and/or bony structures”. 

While these definitions guide dentists in their approaches to cosmetic and functional treatment, the general public is more focused on aesthetic considerations, especially when it comes to the condition of what are referred to as the “Social 6” teeth (13-23). A host of influencers and direct marketers trade off the growing demands for perfect smiles, that are ‘whiter than white’, immaculate in shape and make for a picture-perfect ‘Instagrammable’ moment.

Whether it’s teeth whitening, veneers, crowns, DIY orthodontics, tooth gems, oral piercings and alternative toothpaste products such as charcoal or non-fluoridated, self-educated consumers are increasingly taking what they consider to be standard oral health maintenance into their own hands. The mini campaign around this topic will be educating the 18-25-year-old group on what these non-professional cosmetic procedures really involve, and the damage DIY efforts can cause to oral health. The emphasis here will be on encouraging this group of consumers to see their dentist for professional advice and treatment.

2. Wisdom teeth

This is the age, of course, where wisdom teeth usually make their presence felt. As they “erupt”, they can confuse young patients who might be unsure about the cause of the pain their experiencing, which is why education as part of this mini campaign is so vital and timely.

It’s a great opportunity to get patients to go back and see their dentist, or to find one in the first place, and get back into a regular habit of appointments. It’s also when there may be increased receptiveness to being educated on oral health generally and wisdom teeth in particular. This campaign will be a great touch point to get them excited about their dental health.

By and large, the general public are not aware of the differential diagnosis or the signs and symptoms to identify issues arising from wisdom teeth versus other oral health conditions. The education campaign is intended to make this cohort aware of signs and symptoms such as pericoronitis, halitosis, caries, trismus, intra-oral and extra-oral swelling, acute and/or spreading infection. The campaign will focus on providing easy-to-access resources for the public on teeth.org,au, removing the jargon and making it a less confusing topic.