National Smile Month 2017

Why is a healthy smile so important?
It is common knowledge that poor oral hygiene can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. However, as well as potentially leading to the need for invasive and expensive treatment, poor oral hygiene can have an effect on your physical health. There is an increased risk of heart attacks, stroke, dementia and complications during pregnancy.

What is the campaign?
National Smile Month is the UK’s largest campaign to promote good oral health. It aims to teach why a healthy smile is so important and share tips on how to improve and maintain it. In doing so, National Smile Month aspires to deliver three key messages:

• To brush your teeth last thing at night and at least one other time during the day with fluoride toothpaste.
• To cut down on surgery drinks and foods.
• To visit your general dental practitioner regularly.

Since its establishment almost 40 years ago, National Smile Month has organised thousands of projects and events, including talks, fun days and open sessions. Organisers work closely with a team at the Oral Health Foundation, meaning that health professionals and health educators collaborate to achieve their goal of delivering oral health education, particularly in disadvantaged communities and regions of known poor oral health.

To see how the National Smile Month campaign has helped in these regions, have a look at the campaign website at www.nationalsmilemonth.org/impact-national-smile-month/.

How to get involved:
There is still time to support the campaign and take part in National Smile Month! This year, the campaign is again promoting ‘The Smiley’. You can buy a pack and support the campaign here: www.nationalsmilemonth.org/smiley/. You can also show your support by tweeting using ‘#NationalSmileMonth’ and ‘#NSM17’.