A Reason to Smile

From 16th May to 16th June, the Oral Health Foundation is hosting National Smile Month. This year, the theme is ‘everyone deserves a healthy smile’, and throughout the month, they will be raising awareness about oral health and how to maintain a great oral health routine – as well as aiming to give people the confidence to properly take care of their teeth at home.

Tooth decay is turning into a national crisis, with approximately one quarter of five-year-olds suffering from tooth decay, making tooth extractions the most common reason for this age group to be admitted to hospital.

This year, National Smile Month is promoting four key messages for promoting great oral health:

1. Brush your teeth for two minutes! It’s super-important that you do this twice per day and ensure that one of these times is just before you go to bed. When brushing your teeth, make sure you’re using a fluoride toothpaste. One thing you definitely shouldn’t include in your oral care routine is rinsing your mouth when you’ve finished brushing. Instead, just spit and then let the fluoride do all its great work on your teeth for longer.
2. Flossing is the best way to keep your gums healthy and make sure that no nasty bits of food debris are getting stuck between your teeth and potentially causing issues. It’s best to floss before you brush your teeth so you can make sure you’re starting with a clean slate.
3. Diet has a huge impact on oral health. Foods that are high in sugar, acids and fats are not kind to your teeth. By cutting down on foods such as chocolate and fizzy drinks you could be doing your teeth the world of good. Another great way to keep your smile in tip-top condition is to cut down on staining drinks such as tea, coffee, and red wine. Why not challenge yourself to cut out one of these for the month and see if you can notice a difference?
4. Pay regular visits to the dentist. The best way to keep on top of your oral health is to get regular check-ups. By regularly visiting the dentist and hygienist you can ensure that you’re not becoming vulnerable to oral health conditions such as gingivitis and periodontitis.

There are so many ways for you to get involved in National Smile Month, from working on your own oral health routine, to fundraising and spreading awareness for the activities throughout the month. The money that you raise will go towards addressing inequality when it comes to healthy teeth and access to dental care.