This year marks the 50th anniversary of National Smile Month, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness of good oral health and the important role it plays in overall wellbeing.
For five decades, National Smile Month has encouraged people of all ages to take simple, effective steps to care for their teeth and gums.
Good oral health is important for maintaining strong teeth and healthy gums, but it also supports wider health. Poor oral hygiene can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, and can contribute to wider health conditions including heart disease.
Susan Lyttle, senior health promotion officer, said: “National Smile Month is a good opportunity to remind us of the basics of a good daily oral health routine and the small steps we can all take to protect our teeth and gums.
“Good oral health is important at every age and making simple changes, such as brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between your teeth, reducing sugary foods and drinks and visiting your dentist regularly, can make a real difference.
“The campaign is also a chance to highlight the support and advice available to help people build healthy habits and maintain a healthy smile throughout their lives.”
To register with a dentist, telephone or visit a practice in your area that is taking on new NHS patients. A list of dental practices accepting new NHS patients is available on the NHS Lanarkshire website.
You can also visit the Oral Health Foundation’s National Smile Month website to find out 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
