PEOPLE UP and down the country are paying extra attention to their teeth at the moment as it is National Smile Month from May 19 – June 19 2014.
Here, Dr Daniel Winston, a practitioner in Orthodontics at Mossley Dental, tells us more about the initiative and how you can look after your teeth.
National Smile Month 2014 is here with the simple aim of improving the oral health of the nation. During the month you can expect to see lots of ‘smile selfies’ as dental professionals try to get their message across.
National Smile Month has three aims:
- To get people to brush their teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste
- To reduce the frequency of sugary snacks
- To encourage people to visit their dentist regularly.
On the surface this does not seem to be a difficult task, but in reality, and I can say from experience that, many people do not regularly brush their teeth and say they either forget or are too busy (especially in the morning).
Many of us have busy lives and places to go and people to see and so, for some, the importance of dental hygiene is forgotten.
However, a healthy mouth and a nice smile cannot be underestimated and sadly people often don’t realise this until irreversible damage is done. The two most common oral diseases are tooth decay and gum disease and these are unfortunately very common in our society today.
But both conditions being completely preventable. Brushing your teeth using the correct technique for at least two minutes twice a day will remove plaque from the tooth surfaces. You can even get toothbrushes that time two minutes for you, just to make it that little bit easier.
Bacteria in your plaque will grow if left unbrushed and this can break down the enamel and dentine in your teeth and cause you gums to become inflamed.
Many people care hugely about their appearance. A morning routine may include a shower, soap, deodorant, makeup, hair brushed and styled and yet for some people brushing their teeth gets forgotten.
National Smile Month is here to remind you that looking after your teeth will pay dividends in the long run; it will reduce the chance of you needing fillings, treatment for gum disease, reparative cosmetic dentistry to repair the appearance of damaged teeth and will reduce the chance of you suffering from bad breath.
So, when you’re old and still have your own teeth (and not a denture in sight), you’ll be glad you took care of your teeth when you were young.
Find out more about Mossley Dental by visiting their website or read more about National Smile Month here.
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