Smile! It’s National Smile Month

Did you know that from May 13th to June 13th, dentists, healthcare providers, schools and many other health and community organisations across the UK will be joining forces to celebrate and promote National Smile Month. But just what is National Smile Month and how can you get involved? Read on to find out more about this annual event.

When is National Smile Month held?

National Smile month is held every year between May and June. This year, the campaign begins on Monday 13th May and will last through until Thursday 13th June. Of course, National Smile Month is all about improving long term awareness and positive attitudes towards oral health, so the real message is that our smiles matter all year round.

Who created National Smile Month?

The National Smile Month campaign was created by the Oral Health Foundation, an independent British charity that was first established over 45 years ago and is dedicated to improving oral health and wellbeing around the world. They provide expert, independent and impartial advice on all aspects of oral health directly to those who need it most and work closely with governments, dental and health professionals, manufacturers, the dental trade, national and local agencies and the public, to achieve their mission of addressing the inequalities which exist in oral health, changing people’s lives for the better.

The founding fathers of the Oral Health Foundation wished to see the preventive message that ‘Teeth are for Life’ spread as widely as possible, with the aim of improving the overall oral health of everyone. In The ‘Smile 77’ project was introduced by Pam Ayres in Birmingham and repeated in 1978. The project became the forerunner for National Smile Month.

What is National Smile Month?

The annual National Smile Month campaign is an event that aims to bring together everybody involved in healthcare and wellbeing. It is the world’s largest and longest-running campaign to promote good oral health.

The campaign encourages dental and health professionals, schools, pharmacies, community groups, colleges and workplaces to join in and help educate, motivate and communicate positive oral health messages and improve the quality of smiles all around the world.

What does National Smile Month mean for me?

Together, with thousands of individuals and organisations, National Smile Month  highlights three key messages, all of which go a long way in helping us develop and maintain a healthy mouth. They are:

• Brush your teeth last thing at night and on at least one other occasion with a fluoride toothpaste.

• Cut down on how much sugary food and drink you have, and how often you have them.

• Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.

Ultimately, the aim is to help us achieve good physical and mental wellbeing by improving our oral health.

How can I get involved?

The easiest way to get involved in National Smile month is to encourage your family to embrace the messages above and commit to living a healthy lifestyle that gives your teeth the best possible chance.

Another way to make National Smile Month matter is to make sure that you are up to date with your dental checkups.

If you’re not sure when your next checkup is due, or would like to book an appointment or enquire about becoming a member of Stella Maris Dental Practice in West Bromwich, call us today on 0121 588 4541.