At the Oral Health Foundation, we are determined to improve oral health, not only in the UK but around the world. National Smile Month is our (and your) chance to promote positive oral health messages throughout your local community and help put a smile back on so many faces.

With your support, National Smile Month reaches more than 50 million people each year and is the biggest and most effective annual reminder of the importance of good oral health.

But there is still more work to be done…

• A quarter of all children starting school have tooth decay.

• Around a quarter of all adults say they have not visited a dentist in the past two years.

• Three in every ten adults suffer from regular dental pain.

• A quarter of adults don’t brush their teeth twice a day and over four-fifths of the population have at least one filling.

Inequalities

Maintaining a healthy smile can be so simple but for many this is not the case. Despite the vast improvements in oral health over the last 40 years, inequalities continue to be a burden for countless groups.

The elderly, those on lower incomes or in areas of low social economic status, people with educational barriers or learning difficulties, those with reduced mobility, physical or mental disabilities and the homeless are all more likely to suffer from chronic ill-health.

It is important to remember that most health inequalities are almost entirely preventable and National Smile Month gives us a timely reminder that we can make a difference in addressing this unjust imbalance.

By establishing links with homeless shelters, community and day-care centres, residential homes and hostels during National Smile Month, you can ensure these groups of people have access to the care and information they deserve – it’s also goodwill for your organisation too.

Children’s oral health

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children, affecting more than one in four 5-year olds and has emerged as the number one reason why children are admitted to hospital for a general anaesthetic.

We want to increase oral health education in the classroom, after all, children who learn the right lessons at an early age are more likely to carry them on into adulthood. From brushing their first tooth, to their first trip to the dentist, to learning more about their diet, a child’s oral health plays a key part in their early year’s wellbeing. 

We are dedicated to improving the oral health of young children everywhere by continuing to help dental health professionals and nearby schools develop strong relationships.

Good oral health is hugely important

With your help National Smile Month can have long-lasting benefits on the quality of thousands of lives. Poor oral health doesn’t just cause problems inside the mouth. Studies continue to associate poor oral health to serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, strokes, pneumonia, premature babies and other major conditions.

Smile

A smile is hugely important to our personalities, self-confidence, relationships and success. With a good oral health routine, and with your support during National Smile Month, we can help reduce the number of people suffering from these conditions.

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Useful links:

• About National Smile Month

• Fundraising for oral health

• Tackling inequalities

• Sponsorship opportunities 

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National Smile Month Official Sponsors