National Nutrition Week: the oral clues to nutrient deficiency & disease

National Nutrition Week returns this October (12 to 18 October 2026), shining a light on the challenges and opportunities within Australia's food landscape, from children's relationships with food to mental wellbeing and equitable access to nutrition.

The ADA is using the week to remind Australians that the mouth is the starting point for healthy living, and it often shows the first signs that something isn't right.

According to the latest ADA Australian Dental Health Survey 2025, 71 per cent of Australians consider the care of their teeth and mouth important to their overall health. However, 8 per cent think it is unimportant, 3 per cent think it is very unimportant, 15 per cent sit somewhere in between, and 3 per cent are unsure, showing there is still work to do in connecting oral health to overall wellbeing in the public mind.

ADA Oral Health Educator and dentist Dr Monica Farrelly says the mouth deserves far more attention in conversations about nutrition and overall wellbeing.

"The mouth is the gateway to healthy nutrition and living. The effects of what we eat, and drink shows up here first, and so do the warning signs when something is off," Dr Farrelly said.

"Bleeding gums, painful teeth, mouth ulcers that won't heal, or a persistently dry mouth are not things to brush off. These are signals from your body that deserve attention, not avoidance."

Dr Farrelly said poor oral health can affect a person's ability to eat a varied, nutritious diet, creating a cycle that impacts overall health and mental wellbeing.

"When eating is painful, people naturally gravitate towards softer, often more processed foods, and away from the fresh fruit, vegetables and proteins that support good health. Oral health and nutrition are deeply connected, and neither should be considered in isolation. Being able to eat a healthy balanced diet impacts people's overall mental wellbeing as well, including their ability to socialise and enjoy food."

Positive food experiences for children

One of this year's National Nutrition Week themes is positive food experiences for children and young people, promoting safe, strengths-based nutrition messaging and enjoyable, inclusive food experiences. Dr Farrelly said this approach applies just as much to oral health.

"As dentists, we're always talking to families about sugar and its impact on teeth. Helping children and people understand that frequent intake of sugary foods and drinks can contribute to tooth decay, without labelling those foods as good or bad, gives them the knowledge to make informed choices while building a positive, lasting relationship with food," Dr Farrelly said.

Oral clues about deficiency and disease

Dr Priyal Shah, a dentist based in Western Australia who also holds a Masters qualification in Dietetics, says nutrient deficiencies can show up in the mouth well before other symptoms appear. Low iron, folate or vitamin B12 can cause oral ulceration, and underlying conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn's disease, which affect nutrient absorption, may present the same way. In children, poor enamel formation can sometimes be an early indicator of coeliac disease.

The ADA Australian Dental Health Survey 2025 found that 33 per cent of Australians have a health condition that affects their dental health, with the main conditions being asthma, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune illness, sleep apnoea and dementia. Dr Shah says this crossover is exactly why dentists are often well placed to pick up on broader health issues.

Among these, Dr Shah points to the well-established, bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontitis. Poorly controlled blood sugar levels can worsen gum disease, and gum disease can, in turn, make blood sugar levels harder to manage. It means gum disease can sometimes be a sign of undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes.

"Whenever I see gum disease, I encourage patients to get tested for diabetes," Dr Shah said. "I also ask about family history, given the strong genetic link with type 2 diabetes, and I encourage patients to clarify and discuss this with their GP"

What to look out for

This Nutrition Week, the ADA is encouraging Australians to:

• See a dentist if they notice bleeding gums, tooth pain, or other changes in their mouth

• Understand that oral symptoms can be early indicators of broader health and nutrition issues

• Choose a balanced diet that supports both oral and general health, limiting sugary and acidic foods and drinks that contribute to decay and erosion

• Book regular dental checkups, even in the absence of pain, since many oral health issues develop silently