We’re coming up to one of our favourite times of the year – National Smile Month! This year the event runs from the 13th May to the 13th June and the theme for 2024 is ‘Love Your Smile.’ This month’s blog is all about the key themes for this year’s event and how you can get involved.
How it all started…
An annual campaign organised by UK-based charity, the Oral Health Foundation, the first National Smile Month was held in 1977, when it was known as Smile ‘77. In those days only one in three people over the age of 16 had their own natural teeth so you can see why they thought there was a need for a nationwide oral health campaign! In the 1970s people viewed having dentures as part of the natural progression of ageing. They did not realise that caring for and keeping hold of your own teeth was a viable alternative! The levels of communication between dentist and patient at the time was also pretty poor and the Smile ‘77 campaign was designed to help break down these barriers and motivate the UK to start talking about oral health and consider how their actions were affecting their mouths. It was also one of the first campaigns to introduce the concept of ‘preventative dentistry’ – something we bang on about a lot here at the Wellesley. It’s not that we don’t want to see you or help with your dental problems, but we do know that (quote literally) a lot of pain can be avoided if you simply take the time and effort to stick to a decent dental routine. Which is why we love National Smile Month, as it is all about creating awareness and promoting self-care.
Over the years, Smile ’77 evolved into National Smile Week and in 2006 this became National Smile Month. The Oral Health Foundations pro-active educational approach has dramatically changed the nation’s attitude towards their oral health. More people these days are hanging onto their teeth and the preventative approach is seen as the norm. So why do we still need National Smile Month?
The answer is simple, we all know what we SHOULD be doing to look after our teeth but we don’t always DO all those things. Holding a month-long event like National Smile Month helps people to refocus and set better intentions to better look after their oral health by examining the importance of maintaining a healthy smile and reinstating a thorough routine.
Every year the Oral Health Foundation picks a theme for National Smile Month and this year’s is strikingly simple: ‘Love Your Smile’ – with 4 key messages:
- Brush teeth for two minutes, last thing at night and one other time during the day, with a fluoride toothpaste.
- Clean between your teeth with interdental brushes or floss and use mouthwash every day.
- Cut down how much and how often you have sugary foods and drinks.
- Visit a dentist regularly.
How to Get Involved in National Smile Month
The Oral Health Foundation National Smile Month encourages active participation from individuals, communities, and oral health professionals alike. Here are a number of ways for people to participate, here’s how to get involved this year:
The Great British Brushathon – 13th May 2024
Smile Month kicks off with the Great British Brushathon on the 13th of May.
All you have to do is take a selfie whilst brushing your teeth and post it to social media. Alternatively, if you want to get a bit more creative you can film a video of yourself brushing and – if possible – get your family and friends to join you too!
How to take part:
- Take a picture or video of yourself (and the rest of your family if you wish) brushing your teeth.
- Post the photo/video on your social media on Monday 13th May along with a comment on why you think taking care of your oral health is important. Don’t forget to include the hashtags #SmileMonth and #GreatBritishBrushathon.
- Stuck for what to say? Here’s an example: ‘This is how I take care of my teeth. I’m supporting National #SmileMonth because looking after my smile is really important for my teeth, gums and mental health too. #GreatBritishBrushathon’
- Tag three friends into your post and challenge them to upload their toothbrushing selfie on social media for National Smile Month.
3 Top Tooth Brushing Tips from the Oral Health Foundation:
- Use a pea-sized amount
Only use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, it’s all your teeth need, and avoids creating too much mess that might need rinsing (see tip 3!) - 45 degree brushing
Don’t press your toothbrush flatly against your teeth, ideally you should brush towards your gum line at a 45 degree angle for the best clean. - Spit but don’t rinse!
Spit out the toothpaste and don’t rinse with water! It might be tempting to rinse out your mouth after brushing however if you spit instead it allows the fluoride from your toothpaste to protect your teeth throughout the day or night.
Tooth Fairy Competition
For children aged 11 and under – closing date: 7th June.
This is a competition for a drawing or a poem on the theme of ’Love your Smile.’ The competition is split into 3 age categories:
- 0-3 years
- 4-7 years
- 8-11 years
Send a Letter to the Tooth Fairy
Another one for the kids – aged 12 and under:
- The tooth fairy wants to know how well children are taking care of their teeth.
- If anyone wishes to include their baby teeth, they are absolutely welcome to do so but are not obliged.
- Send the letter to the following address:
Tooth Fairy
Smile House, 2 East Union Street
Rugby, Warwickshire
CV22 6AJ
According to the Oral Health Foundation, the Tooth Fairy is looking forward to receiving and reading all the lovely letters, some of which will be published on the Oral Health Foundation social media pages and kids will receive a thank you letter and a little reward.
Take a Smiley Selfie
The Oral Health Foundation are inviting people to take a Smiley Selfie to show your support for improving awareness of oral health. Share it on social media with the hashtags #mysmileyselfie and #smilemmonth – the best 3 entries will win 4 tickets to local comedy shows. That’s something to smile about!
Dental Buddy
Parents, carers and oral health educators can download some free dental buddy resources to teach children about oral health.
Daily Health Checklist
A checklist of essential activities you can complete every day in order to keep your mouth healthy and avoid unnecessary problems.
National Smile Month is a fantastic campaign that encourages all of us to reevaluate and prioritise our oral health by focusing on good habits and effective routines. By actively participating in National Smile Month, you can positively impact not only your own oral health but also inspire those around you to do the same. We’ll be posting lots more useful information throughout National Smile Month so remember to keep an eye on our socials and if you decide to take part in the Great British Brushathon or any other Smile Month events be sure to tag us and let us know so that we can all love our smiles together!
