FDI World Dental Federation is launching the World Oral Health Day 2015 (WOHD 2015) ‘Smile for life’ campaign to remind people everywhere about the importance of looking after their teeth and gums.
World Oral Health Day is celebrated throughout the world on 20 March each year with a wide range of awareness-raising activities organised by dentists, dental students, national dental associations (NDAs) and corporate partners.
Over 90% of the world’s population will suffer some form of dental disease in their lifetime, but many of these can easily be treated or prevented with a good oral care routine.
FDI president, Dr Tin Chun Wong, commented: ‘The Smile for life campaign reminds us that oral disease can be prevented by practising good oral hygiene throughout life, from childhood to mature adulthood.
‘After tripling the number of countries celebrating World Oral Health Day between and 2013 and 2014, we are now looking to reach an even larger audience in even more countries as well as online.’
The WOHD 2015 Smile for life is supplemented by the call to action ‘It’s time to…’, which campaigners can adapt to their local needs and circumstances.
Dentists at the FDI Annual World Dental Congress in New Delhi last September endorsed the Smile for life campaign both literally and figuratively when they took turns to Smile for life in front of WOHD 2015 campaign poster.
FDI’s executive director, Jean-Luc Eiselé, added: ‘We want to encourage everyone to celebrate this important day.
‘Participants can download materials such as logos, posters and toolkits to plan their activities from the Smile for life campaign website – where they can also read inspiring stories from last year’s campaign to help them plan their World Oral Health Day 2015.’
