National Smile Week 2005

National Smile Week 2005

National Smile Week 2005

National Smile Week aims to provide simple, practical oral health information to as many people as possible.

Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste

It is often taken for granted that people know how to brush their teeth, but research by the Foundation has found that more than 70 per cent of people do not brush correctly.

Using National Smile Week to remind people of the importance of twice-daily brushing can be useful. Patients should be advised to:

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  Use a soft brush to allow you to reach the gaps between the teeth. Hard brushes can wear down the tooth enamel (the protective layer around the teeth) causing sensitivity. Tilt the bristle tips to a 45 degree angle against the gumline to aid plaque removal.

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  Brush in small circular movements, several times, on all the surfaces of every tooth for two minutes.

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  Clean the tongue to avoid bad breath. Most bad breath is caused by bacteria on the tongue.

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  Use your toothbrush or a tongue scraper to remove bacteria.

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  Fluoride is easily the most important ingredient in toothpaste. Fluoride works by strengthening the tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay. The introduction of fluoride to toothpaste has led to a 50 percent reduction in the levels of decay we experience.

Change your toothbrush every 2-3 months

You should inform your patients of the importance of changing their toothbrush regularly.

Old brushes do not remove plaque as effectively and the build-up of bacteria can lead to other problems such as gum disease.

Research by the Foundation shows that only 22 per cent of people change their brush every three months, as recommended.

Cut down on the frequency of sugary foods and drinks

Tooth decay is caused by sugar. Many people do not realise that the important thing is not how much sugar you have, but how often you have it. This is because every time you eat or drink something sugary, your teeth are put under acid attack for up to one hour.

Your saliva is the mouth's natural defence against acid attack and will return your mouth to its natural balance. However, if these attacks occur too often your mouth will not be given a chance to recover. This is when decay occurs You should advise patients to cut down on the frequency of sugary foods and drinks to avoid acid attacks, and to eat more healthily between meals. The Foundations leaflet "Diet and My Teeth" may help.

Visit your dentist regularly

It is important that patients should visit their dentist on a regular basis, or as often as they are advised to.

A dentist will be able to spot any potential oral health problems in their early stages, and will give you advice on how to tackle them. They may also be able to offer cosmetic treatment options to improve the smile.

As well as all of this, dentists are trained to spot serious general health conditions such as mouth cancer in its early stages.

The Foundation has a leaflet called My Fear of the Dentist for patients who are wary of regular visits and Finding a Dentist for patients who want to know what to look for in a dentist.

Floss at least once a day

Although flossing is accepted as an important part of any dental health routine only 21 per cent of people claim to use floss regularly and in reality it is probably much less.

Flossing removes plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gumline – areas a toothbrush can not reach.

You should floss at least once-a-day before brushing.

Wrap around 18 inches of floss around your forefingers with about an inch held tightly between your thumbs. You should then work the floss between the teeth by using a gentle rocking motion. Do not jerk the floss or snap the floss into the gums as this can damage the gum tissue.

For more advice on how to floss patients should speak to their dentist or hygienist.

Chew sugar-free gum after meals

Chewing sugar-free gum after meals increases the flow of saliva – the mouth's natural defence mechanism. Your saliva will then neutralise plaque acids, restoring your mouth to its natural balance.

Patients might like to substitute sugar-free gum for cheese if you have had something sugary or acidic, such as fruit. Cheese is alkaline, unlike fruit or fizzy drinks, and will return the acid levels in your mouth back to normal.

Be aware of the mouth

It may sound obvious but not many people are! Make sure patients are checking their mouth regularly and are quick to visit their dentist or doctor should they notice any changes.

Mouth cancer kills one person every five hours in the UK and the number of new cases is growing faster than any other cancer. Survival rates increase from 50 to 90 percent with early detection. Unfortunately, because the first sign is often a non-healing ulcer, many people choose to ignore these symptoms.

The Foundation's leaflets on Mouth Cancer and Mouth Ulcers will help make people more aware of this.

Research has found that people are more likely to speak to someone who has smiled at them. In addition, smiling actually makes you feel happier due to the chemicals released when you smile. A friendly smile is the perfect introduction and in some situations can communicate more than any number of words. Think about how you feel when someone smiles at you, and try to give that feeling to someone else.

As Mother Teresa said: "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing."

As a smile is so highly valued it is important to make the best of your smile.

You should use National Smile Week to think about how you can keep yours looking healthy. Look at ways of helping people to improve their oral health routine by reading the information provided in this guide and in the Foundation's resources. Encourage the people you speak to, to be a good friend and pass this information on to the people around them.

A healthy smile is an attractive smile, and if you look good you feel happier. A 1997 study found that 96 per cent of people see the smile as very important to someone's overall attractiveness, so start the ball rolling for someone in National Smile Week by helping them to improve their smile. By making them happier they may even give you a smile in return. As the philosopher, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch once said: "A smile costs nothing, but gives much. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as no one needs a smile as much as he who has no more to give." Pass an oral health message on with a smile for National Smile Week!

Facts and figures

"About 5 million people visit their dentist with toothache every year" 19 out of 20 people suffer from gum disease at some point in their life, making it the most common disease in the world "It takes 43 muscles to frown but only 17 to smile" One in four adults suffer from bad breath on a regular basis "Most adults only change their toothbrush once a year. It is recommended that a toothbrush should be replaced four times a year" Only 21 per cent of people use floss regularly Less than half the population have frequent dental checkups, and 12 per cent haven't been for more than two years.

"Only 45 per cent of the adult population are registered with a NHS dentist and 62 per cent of children at June 2000" (Dental Practice Board/BDA). Only 11 per cent of the UK population had fluoride added to their water. People living in fluoridated areas suffered less cases of tooth decay (British Fluoridation Society). "Smoking can cause bad breath, gum disease, tooth staining and oral cancer" Smoking and drinking account for the majority of cases of oral cancer, which kills over 1,700 people every year (Cancer Research UK). "Nearly two thirds of people (64 per cent) are nervous about some kinds of dental treatment" (Adult Dental Health Survey 1998). Nearly one-third of UK adults have 12 or more fillings" (BDA). Ninety-six percent of people see a smile as very important to someone's overall appearance" (Academy of General Dentistry).

National Smile Week background

National Smile Week is the UK's biggest annual oral health event.

Now in its 29th year, the campaign has been a key factor in the British Dental Health Foundation's success in taking simple, practical oral health advice to millions of people nationwide.

A major reason for the success of National Smile Week is the enthusiasm and hard work of the thousands of event organisers who are dedicated to helping the Foundation spread the message of good oral health.

Every year thousands of dentists, teachers, companies and individuals interested in oral health get their teeth into organising an event for National Smile Week.

Last year an incredible 35,000 copies of the National Smile Week Information Guide’were distributed –- more than ever before!

The British Dental Health Foundation has been working hard to make the 2005 event better than ever. Help us to spread the message of good oral health even further. Providing free, impartial dental advice to the public, The British Dental Health Foundation is the only organisation in the country dedicated to offering free impartial dental advice to the public. Every year, the experts in its Dental Helpline (0845 063 1188) provide advice and support to tens of thousands of patients suffering with oral health problems. Providing callers with information on everything from toothache and bad breath to dental fees and cosmetic options, the Dental Helpline staff provide clear, simple advice with only one aim – to give the patient the information they need to improve their oral health.

The Foundation also provides information to the public via its website: www.dentalhealth.org.uk. This is one of the most comprehensive oral health sites on the world wide web and gets more than 650 unique visitors every day.

The main reason for the success of the website is the sheer volume of information it contains. Patients who visit the site can access all 48 of the Foundation's popular Tell Me About … patient information leaflets as well as read its Frequently Asked Questions, download puzzles and games for children and even e-mail the Dental Helpline directly. There is much more available too and it is all completely free of charge.