It’s National Smile Month! This annual campaign is running from 12 May -12 June which focuses on the importance of good oral health. This year the theme is ‘Feed Your Smile’ with the focus on the link between diet and oral health.
Susan Lyttle, Senior Health Promotion Officer – Health Improvement, NHS Lanarkshire, said: “National Smile Month is run every year by the Oral Health Foundation and is the perfect opportunity to remind us of the basics of a good daily oral health routine. Diet plays a key role in good oral health but having a consistent and effective oral health routine is equally important. We can look after our oral health by following a few simple tips:
- Twice daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste
- Cleaning between your teeth with interdental brushes or floss
- Reducing your intake of sugary foods and drinks
- Visiting your dentist regularly
“When focusing on our diet to improve oral health, there are also some handy tips to follow, including being mindful of sugar. Food and drinks containing sugars are best eaten at mealtimes instead of snacks to reduce the amount of time teeth are exposed to sugar.
“The food we eat plays an important role in maintaining a healthy mouth and having a healthy lifestyle is good for the whole body.”
To register with a dentist simply telephone or visit a practice in your area taking on new NHS patients. You can find a list of dentist taking on new patients by following this link: Dental Practices accepting new NHS patients – NHS Lanarkshire
Visit the About National Smile Month 2025 website to discover more about how diet affects oral health and get tips for building a healthy daily oral health routine.
For further information about oral health projects in Lanarkshire contact the oral health improvement team: healthimprovement.oralhealthteam@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
