Oral health campaign takes centre stage at National Theatre

The official launch reception of the UK’s largest oral health campaign – National Smile Month – takes place today (Thursday 16 May), and the smileys are taking over a brand new venue.

The Deck at the National Theatre, London, will welcome leading figures in the profession and representatives of some of the UK’s largest household names, including platinum sponsors Oral-B, Listerine and Wrigley’s Extra.

National Smile Month, taking place from 20 May to 20 June, is the focal point for thousands of dental and health professionals to co-ordinate events and activities across the UK to improve oral health.  Community groups, businesses, schools, and members of the public are invited to get involved by organising activities such as fun days, talks, sponsored events, displays, open days and competitions.

Chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, said: 'Getting people to talk and think about their teeth and dental habits is vital to our goal of improving the state of oral health not only in the UK but worldwide.

'The impact of poor oral hygiene is often underestimated and someone’s poor oral health can be a pre-cursor to a number of serious health issues. National Smile Month is a great platform to discuss these issues with patients and members of the general public. Encouraging people to think about and take better care of their oral health is essential to the success of the campaign.

'We have had a tremendous response to the campaign. So far, almost than 2,500 thousand organisations have registered their interest in the campaign and will be spreading the messages and joining in the fun. We hope this launch event will encourage even more people to get involved.'

National Smile Month is also being supported by Argos, Bupa, Denplan, Lloyds Pharmacy, Philips, Invisalign, NUK and Tepe.
 

National Smile Month has three key messages:
• Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
• Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks
• Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend

To register for some free ‘Smileys’, or for more information about the campaign, please visit www.smilemonth.org.