National Smile Month brings renewed focus on good oral health

Communities across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are being asked to brush up on their oral hygiene.

The call for people to maintain a healthy mouth through the adoption of good habits and a positive brushing routine coincides with National Smile Month, which runs between Monday 12 May and Thursday 12 June.

For four weeks, adults and children alike will be encouraged to think about how different foods and drink can affect their oral health.   

Foods which are high in sugar and acid, such as fruit juices and fizzy drinks, can accelerate tooth decay by weakening enamel, while sticky and chewy foods, including sweets and some dairy products, make teeth cleaning more difficult, meaning mouths can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.

Jonathan Bower-Davies, Chief Dentist, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “Healthy diet choices, such as choosing snacks that are low in sugar, drinking plenty of water and avoiding ultra-processed foods, alongside consistent brushing and flossing can help to keep teeth white and smiles radiant. 

“This advice is especially pertinent for children whose teeth and gums are still developing, which is why the local NHS is supporting parents and schools to introduce and implement effective oral hygiene routines as early as possible.”

Local data suggests that disadvantaged children are around twice as likely to have a decay-related tooth extraction than their peers living in more affluent areas.

Hints and tips on how to keep a healthy mouth, along with photos of local schools taking part in a national brush-a-thon, will be shared by the ICB across its social media pages throughout the month.

Further information on oral hygiene can be found on the national NHS website at www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-teeth-and-gums.