National Smile Month is organised and run by the British Dental Health Foundation, a charity dedicated to improving the oral health of the public by providing free and impartial dental advice, educational materials and national campaigns, such as National Smile Month 2015!

Poor oral health doesn’t just cause problems inside the mouth.  A smile is hugely important to our personalities, self-confidence, relationships and success.  General health is also at risk too as studies continue to associate poor oral health to serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, strokes, pneumonia, premature babies and other major conditions.  With a good oral health routine, most of these conditions are preventable.

Facts and Figures – A third of all children starting school have tooth decay. Around a quarter of all adults say they have not visited a dentist in the past two years. Three in every ten adults suffer from regular dental pain. A quarter of adults don’t brush their teeth twice a day and over four-fifths of the population have at least one filling.

National Smile Month promotes three key messages, all of which go a long way to improve oral health in the UK.  They are: –

• Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste;
• Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks;
• Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.

Other ways to improve oral health include: –

• Clean between your teeth with interdental brushes or floss at least once a day;
• Use a mouthwash as part of your regular oral health routine;
• Chew sugar-free gum in between meals to help protect your teeth throughout the day;
• If you wear dentures, clean them twice a day.

The Priory Dental Care team would love to help you get smiling!  For further information on how to get your smile back, please speak to your dentist or hygienist at your next visit.  You can also obtain further information by clicking on the following link – http://www.nationalsmilemonth.org/page/your-oral-health