National Smile Month 2018

For more than 40 years, National Smile Month has taken place every year, working to promote good oral health by spreading the ‘bread and butter’ principles of:

• Brushing your teeth using a fluoride toothpaste last thing at night and at least one other time every day.
• Cutting down on how often you consume sugary foods and drinks.
• Visiting your dentist on a regular basis (as often as they recommend).

Organised by the Oral Health Foundation, this year’s campaign takes place from the 14^th of May until the 14^th of June. Although maintaining good oral health is a relatively simple task for most people, it’s surprising how many of us do fail to properly care for our teeth, gums and mouth. Many of us are overly reliant on sugar foods and drinks and quite a large percentage of people don’t visit their dentist as often as they should.

Over time, failing to care for our teeth properly and not going for regular dental check-ups can lead to gum disease and tooth decay, plus the need for invasive and expensive dental treatment that may have been avoidable. Whilst the loss of teeth as a result of poor oral health is serious enough, the repercussions of your oral health can go much further. Studies have shown that bad oral health is linked to a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes, diabetes, lung disease, as well as complications with pregnancy.

As well as helping to promote better overall health, a healthy mouth is also wonderful for helping you feel more confident in yourself and maintaining a positive mindset. In turn, greater self-confidence can help you in your career and relationships.

Care for your mouth!

On top of the three main messages that National Smile Month aims to spread, these important tips will also help you to keep your mouth healthy:

• Clean in between your teeth at least once a day – you can use floss or interdental brushes.
• When using mouthwash, make sure not to use it immediately after brushing, as this rinses away the fluoride from your toothpaste.
• Change your tooth brush regularly. We recommend doing so every two to three months or sooner as an overly warn toothbrush will not clean your teeth properly.
• Chewing sugar-free gum after eating and drinking helps to protect your teeth and gums between meals.
• Try to wait at least an hour after eating until you brush – the enamel is softened immediately after eating, so you could be brushing away particles of enamel.
• Try to keep your intake of sugar foods and drinks to mealtimes so your teeth are under attack for less time.

If you have further questions about what you can do to improve your oral health or would like to book your next check-up, please call us today on 01530 811 303