Improve oral health

Improve oral health
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Herald Express
DESPITE major improvements in recent decades, millions of people in the UK are still affected by poor oral health. It is estimated that a third of all children starting school have tooth decay; three in every ten adults suffer from regular dental pain, and over four-fifths of the population have at least one filling.

More also needs to be done to improve the nation's oral health habits. It is estimated that a quarter of adults don't brush their teeth twice a day and that around a quarter of all adults say they have not visited a dentist in the past two years.
National Smile Month, which began on May 20 and runs until June 20, is organised by UK charity The British Dental Health Foundation, and encourages everyone to follow three basic rules for great oral health throughout life:

Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks
Visit your dentist regularly, as often as is recommended.
This year the campaign is also promoting a water-saving message in partnership with Save Water Save Money and 19 water companies.

The symbol of this year's campaign, which is sponsored by, among others, Oral-B, Wrigley's Extra and Listerine, is the "Smiley".

Find out more at the website www.smilemonth.org