It has been a busy few weeks at Smile House, with Dental Showcase high on the agenda. Another show is now in the history books, but not before hundreds of people had a little fun with our photobooth. Check out how much fun – and how much was raised for Mouth Cancer Action Month – later on in the issue.

October means Halloween, and a fright night for more than one reason. The recent announcement that 12 per cent of three year-olds have tooth decay was met with surprise in many quarters, with sweet treats at the nucleus of the problem. Find out how to keep the ghosts of tooth decay at bay in our Halloween guide on page 20.

October means cooler weather, which can bring about more problems than leaves on train lines. Recent news has linked pneumonia to older people who leave their dentures in at night. Scientists also believe poor oral health is linked to pneumonia, so do read how a good oral hygiene routine can help to keep it at bay.

We’ve also got our regular two minutes twice a day feature, and this month we catch up with one of our Trustees Elizabeth Kay. Elizabeth talks about everything from her early involvement with the Foundation to the present day – including her work on the NICE guidelines released.

It is with regret that I wish to inform you that John Davis, one of the founding fathers of the British Dental Health Foundation, has passed away. John was a wonderful man, so please read our tribute to his life on page 16.

I hope you enjoy the issue, and we will see you next month for a Mouth Cancer Action Month special!

Access the latest issue from here, Word of Mouth, October 2014.