Be proud of your mouth. In other words, value and take care of it.
This year, World Oral Health Day (Sunday 20 March) is encouraging everyone to focus on the importance of good oral health for their happiness and well-being, because good oral health has a positive impact on general health, well-being and quality of life.
We are asking you to share photos or images which make you smile. This could be an object, a pet, family, food, a holiday, anything you are happy to share publicly.
Send any image to Jillian McGovern, NHS Lanarkshire health improvement senior, on Jillian.McGovern@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Geraldeen Irving, NHS Lanarkshire public dental service clinical director said:
“This Sunday sees the return of World Oral Health Day, an annual event organised by the FDI World Dental Foundation which aims to celebrate our mouths and raise global awareness of the importance of oral health. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Be proud of your mouth’.
“Being proud of our mouths can mean many different things to each of us. It can mean being proud of our ability to communicate with others, being able to enjoy a meal with friends, smiling at a loved one or even being comfortable with looking in a mirror.
“However, issues with the mouth can very quickly stop us being able to do these things and can have a wider impact both on our general health and our mental well-being.
“Simple but effective ways of protecting our mouths and our wider health include brushing for two minutes, twice a day, with a fluoride toothpaste, avoiding tobacco, reducing or cutting out sugar as well as eating a balanced diet. By doing these small things every day, this can have a positive impact over time which can help us all ‘Be proud of our mouths’.”
Further information on National Oral Health Day can be found here.
