Brush for better health Learn about this years theme and the reasons why we chose it. Expand National Smile Month 2023 is all about shining a light on the importance of brushing our teeth. Twice daily toothbrushing is the cornerstone to good oral health. It is important because it removes plaque. If the plaque isn't removed, it continues to build up, feeding on the bits of food left behind and causing tooth decay and gum disease. Yet despite the benefits of toothbrushing, many of us still do not consider it a priority. In the UK, around one-in-three people do not brush twice a day while one-in-four regularly skip brushing. Poor toothbrushing habits are a key factor for two-in-three UK adults having visible plaque, almost one-in-three (31%) suffering from signs of tooth decay, and three-in-four (74%) having had teeth extracted. During National Smile Month, we need your support to get more people brushing twice daily. We also need to show people how to brush their teeth effectively. By helping others form healthier habits, they can improve their quality of life and have a smile they can be proud of. To support National Smile Month, please share the information and tips on this website. We also have lots of activities, events and competitions you can take part in and share too.
Week 1: The mouth Learn about the changes our mouths go through from cradle to grave. Expand The mouth is one of your greatest assets. It helps you to communicate your thoughts and emotions, and gives you extra confidence in your relationships, social life and career. Your mouth is also important for speaking, eating and drinking and breathing. Because of this, it makes sense to give your smile (and your mouth) the best care possible. During National Smile Month we'll be giving you tips about how to keep your mouth healthy. We'll also be giving you advice about what to look out for if things are not going so well. Mouth health includes the teeth, gums, tongue and lips - and we'll be giving you all the support you need to keep each of these in great shape. In the meantime, for more information about looking after your oral health, visit and share the following pages: Dental care for mother and baby. Children’s teeth. Teen’s teeth. Caring for my teeth and gums. Dental care for older people.
Week 2: The daily routine What a daily oral health routine should look like. What people can do alongside tooth brushing. Expand Keeping your mouth healthy can be easy – if you know how. In this week, you can learn what makes the perfect daily oral health routine. This includes: Brush your teeth last thing at night and at one other time during the day. Brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste. Brush your tongue. Clean in between your teeth everyday with interdental brushes or floss. Use a mouthwash every day. Cut down how much and how often you have sugar. During National Smile Month, we'll be taking you through all these simple steps in more detail. By mastering an effective oral health routine, you can have a healthy smile to be proud of.
Week 3: Systemic diseases Oral health is linked to a range of conditions around the body and mind. Expand There are new findings that support something that dental professionals have suspected for a long time – infections in the mouth can be linked with problems in other parts of the body. Some of the problems that may be caused or made worse by poor oral health include: Heart disease. Strokes. Diabetes. Giving birth to a premature or low-birth-weight baby. Respiratory (lung) disease. Dementia. During National Smile Month, we’ll be investigating all these links in more detail. We will be sharing what signs you should look out for and how to prevent them from happening.
Week 4: The environment How toothbrushes and other oral health products are made, transported and recycled. Expand When we think about how we care for our mouth, it might be easy to think that there is little in common between our oral health and the environment – but that’s not quite true. Toothbrushes form a part of our daily routine. Twice a day, morning and night, for two minutes, they help clean our teeth and keep our mouth fit and healthy. Despite this, the shelf-life of a toothbrush is a relatively short one. In theory, we should only use each one 180 times, for a total of six hours over a period of three months. It all means that in the UK, around 256 million toothbrushes are bought and discarded every year. That's a very big pile of plastic so what can we do about it? During National Smile Month we’ll be looking the oral care products that are sourcing more environmentally plastics and how you can find them. We’ll also investigate the products that are carbon neutral and have a longer product lifespan. Finally, we will be giving you lots of advice about reusing and recycling your oral care products.
Week 5: Technology How technology for electric toothbrushes and other oral care products, mobile apps and education has improved oral health. Expand In the final week of National Smile Month, we will discover how technology can help you improve the health of your mouth. From electric toothbrushes removing more plaque, to mobile apps motivating children to brush more often – you will be able to learn the true value of investing in technology and the benefits different gadgets and tools can have for your smile. We will also look at the influence of technology on the dental practice. Today, dentistry is almost entirely pain free, and that is mostly thank to the inventions and innovations that help restore and maintain a healthy mouth.