National Smile Month

Between 13 May and 13 June 2024, the Oral Health Foundation will be raising awareness of important oral health issues with the theme:

Love Your Smile

Join the nation's biggest oral health campaign and help bring a smile to millions of people.

Find out more Take part

Smiley Selfies

Take a selfie with the Oral Health Foundation’s iconic Smiley.

This year’s National Smile Month we want to make sure people are sharing the message about how important it is to take good care of oral health all over the UK. Since the campaign champions the benefits of having a healthy smile, it is a perfect opportunity for everyone keen to take part to share the information with the public and encourage others to join!

If you think we are asking you to share some scientific research papers or a two-hour-long webinar then you will be surprised to hear that all we need from you is a selfie! Hold on, and the best part is you will get a chance to enter a competition and win one of our wonderful prizes.

How to take part

Head over to our shop to order Oral Health Foundation’s iconic Smiley – its main purpose is to share key messages on how to achieve better oral health (brush your teeth twice a day, cut down on sugary foods and drinks and visit the dentist regularly).

Take a selfie with a Smiley and post it on your social media. Don’t forget to show your smile behind it or even take a video of showing off both!

Make sure to include #mysmileyselfie and #smilemonth to enter the competition and preferably a location of where you are posting the selfies from.

We will then select 3 winners, each of them will be receiving 4 tickets to local comedy shows. Bet we got you interested so don’t waste any time and get those selfies in!

Buy the official 2024 Smiley

Latest

Downloadable resources

Here are just a few things that you can download and use to promote National Smile Month. We’ll be adding more free downloads to this area so that you can support us throughout the month so keep coming back.
Tooth Fairy Competition

The Tooth Fairy needs some decorations for the Tooth Castle. She has asked the Oral Health Foundation to find the best drawing and poem for this year’s National Smile Month.
No Smoking Day: A breath of fresh air for oral health

13 MAR 2024 - No Smoking Day is an annual health awareness day in the UK that encourages smokers to quit.
Understanding the link between mental health, smoking, and oral health

07 MAR 2024 - If you or a loved one is living with a mental illness, it’s important to understand the risks associated with smoking.

Tooth Fairy Competition

The Tooth Fairy needs some decorations for the Tooth Castle. She has asked the Oral Health Foundation to find the best drawing and poem for this year’s National Smile Month.
Dental buddy

Download our dental buddy resources to teach children about oral health.
Daily health checklist

Use a checklist to stay on top of your health even in busy or stressful times.
The Great British Brushathon

Join in with our Brushathon on 13th May and connect with people from all around the country in one giant communal brushing event.
Send a letter to the tooth fairy

We're working with the tooth fairy this year and she wants to know how you've been taking care of your teeth.
School visit for National Smile Month

For National Smile Month, we’re encouraging dental professionals to make contact with nearby schools to deliver oral health education in the classroom and engage children about healthy lifestyles.
Class visit to the dentist

Classrooms visiting local dental practices are particularly popular event for schools during National Smile Month and are a great way to engage young people in positive oral health messages.
Toothbrush exchange

The Toothbrush Exchange is an amnesty that dental practices, school or workplaces can create by encouraging people to hand in their old brushes and replaces them with a new one free of charge.
Dazzling displays

An eye catching display for National Smile Month is easy to set-up and can be a great way of grabbing people’s attention. They are also a fantastic way for people to learn more about their oral health.
Workshops

Workshops involve dental practices and oral health educators popping into schools, care homes, community centres and workplaces to deliver oral health education.

What to do following an extraction

General advice about what to do after having teeth taken out. Includes what precautions you should take and things to avoid.
Mouth ulcers

Usually red or yellow in colour, mouth ulcers are painful sores that can appear inside the mouth and also on the outer lips.
Burning mouth syndrome

Burning Mouth Syndrome can be an extremely uncomfortable condition which can have several potential causes.
Geographic tongue

Geographic tongue is a common condition which can appear on the top and sides of the tongue, and sometimes on the under-surface.
How to spot mouth cancer

How much do you know about the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer? By being Mouthaware you can make a difference in the fight against mouth cancer.
Bridges and partial dentures

These replacement options for missing teeth are often recommended for oral health purposes as well as cosmetic appearance.
What foods and drinks contain acid and why it spells trouble for our oral health

10 JUNE 19 - As part of National Smile Month, the Oral Health Foundation and GSK have come together to discuss the threat acidic foods and drinks pose to our oral health.
Wisdom teeth

The wisdom teeth are the last to appear, right at the back of the mouth, often between 17 and 25 but sometime many years later.
Jaw problems and headaches

If you jaw and teeth are not lined up correctly it will not only affect your bite but could result in severe headaches and jaw pain.
Sugar free chewing gum

Chewing sugar-free gum helps protect your teeth and gums in between meals when it may not be possible to brush with a toothbrush.