National Smile Month is our chance to take a look at our oral health and learn more about why a healthy smile is so important.

A healthy smile can be a great asset.  Not only can it benefit us socially and help us in other things such as our careers and relationships, but it also has many more practical benefits.  Our teeth have such an important role to play in our lives.  They help us chew and digest food, they help us to talk and speak clearly and they also give our face its shape.  Because of this, it makes sense to give our oral health the best care possible.

A staggering number of us brush for less than two minutes, as a nation our diet has become over-reliant on added sugars, while millions of us haven’t seen a dentist in the last two years!

The consequences of these over a long period of time, can lead to unnecessary, invasive and expensive treatment.  There are direct oral health problems that can arise such as gum disease and tooth decay while the repercussions of poor oral health go further than our mouth – research shows an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, dementia, complications during pregnancy and male sexual health problems are just a few of the likely outcomes of not looking after our teeth!

The three key messages for developing great oral health are:

• 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

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