British Dental Health Foundation Issue Advice for National Smile Month
The British Dental Health Foundation has issued advice about oral hygiene for National Smile Month.
National Smile Month, an annual campaign run by the British Dental Health Foundation, will run until June 20th with a view to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health
Recent figures have indicated that there is a long way to go, despite improvements in access to NHS dental services, with tooth decay still prevalent, especially among young children. Statistics show that around 3.3 million young people suffer from dental decay.
This month, dental professionals are teaming up with public health teams and schools to encourage children and adults to take better care of their teeth and reduce rates of decay and gum disease.
Karen Coates, dental adviser from the BDHF, offered some basic tips for boosting oral health, including visiting the dentist for routine check-ups on a regular basis, brushing the teeth for at least two minutes twice a day and using dental floss to target hard to reach areas.
Coates said that it is advisable for children to start visiting the dentist from the age of 12-18 months to get them used to going to the dentist and encourage good oral hygiene habits from a very early age.
Coates also advised parents to keep an eye on their child’s diet, as many cases of decay are directly linked to consumption of sugary foods and drinks. Sugary foods cause bacteria to produce harmful plaque acids, which attack the teeth. Tips for a healthier diet include swapping fizzy drinks for milk or water, limiting the intake of sweets and chocolate bars and avoiding sugary snacks during the day.
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