The National Smile Month Campaign is aimed to improve the UK’s oral health. Organised by the health charity the Oral Health Foundation strives to raise awareness of important issues relating to oral health, and make a positive difference to the oral health of millions. This year, the campaign celebrates it’s 40th Birthday!
National Smile Month highlights three key messages, all of which go a long way in helping us to maintain a healthy mouth –
• Brush your teeth last thing at night and on at least one other occasion with a fluoride toothpaste
• Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks
• Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend
National Smile Month started back in 1977, aimed to address an increasingly critical problem of how to get people to look after their teeth in a time when only one in three people had their natural teeth! It began as a week long campaign called Smile 77 project which focussed on the concept of preventative dentistry. Over the years more and more health and dental organisations have supported the campaign and it transformed into a month long campaign, now reaching thousands of people in the UK and overseas.
7 Tips for a healthier mouth
• Brush your teeth last thing at night and at least one other time during the day with a fluoride toothpaste. Clean in-between your teeth once daily with interdental brushes or floss.
• Quit smoking to help reduce the chances of tooth staining, gum disease, tooth loss, and in more severe cases mouth cancer.
• Change your toothbrush every two to three months or sooner if it becomes worn as it will not clean the teeth properly.
• Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.
• Chew sugar-free gum after eating or drinking, especially sugary foods, to help protect your teeth and gums in between meals.
• Wait an hour after eating or drinking anything before brushing as then enamel will be softened and you could be brushing away tiny particles.
• Avoid snacking and try to only have sugary foods and drinks at mealtimes, reducing the time your teeth come under attack.
If you would like any further advice or would like to arrange a dental visit, please give us a call on 0116 2891317
