11 August 2023
World Oral Health Day – Say ‘ahh’ for a healthy mouth
On Tuesday 20th March 2018 , dentists, educators and other healthcare professionals teamed up to share a common message – “Say Ahh, think mouth think health.”
World Oral Health Day is an annual event that is organised by FDI World Dental Federation and is the largest global awareness campaign on oral health. This year’s campaign focused on a key message highlighting the relationship between what goes on in your mouth and its impact on your wider health.
World Oral Health Day – A brief history
World Oral Health Day (WOHD) was first declared in 2007 and was originally celebrated on 12 September – the birth date of FDI founder Dr Charles Godon. It was in only in 2013, when the campaign began to attract widespread public attention, that the decision was taken to move it to its current date of 20th March. The choice of date is no coincidence – it was carefully chosen to reflect the following facts:
- Seniors must have a total of 20 natural teeth at the end of their life to be considered healthy
- Children should possess 20 baby teeth
- Healthy adults must have a total of 32 teeth and 0 dental cavities
- Expressed on a numerical basis this can be translated as 3/20 hence March 20
Today, WOHD spreads messages about good oral hygiene practices to adults and children alike and demonstrates the importance of optimal oral health in maintaining general health and well-being.
Your mouth is a mirror – the bigger picture
A key message of the 2018 WOHD campaign is that your mouth is a mirror that reflects your general health and wellbeing.
The campaign highlights the need to avoid risk factors, adopt good oral hygiene habits and have regular dental check-ups, all of which are essential not just to help protect your teeth and gums, but also to help protect your body.
Advances in dental research have now shown that maintaining a healthy mouth is crucial to keeping it functioning correctly and for maintaining overall health and quality of life.
As well as being a common cause of pain and discomfort, oral diseases can also impact every aspect of life, from personal relationships and self-confidence, work and school life and even enjoying food.
There’s never a bad time to get healthy
Although oral health is a major problem that affects a large proportion of the UK public, the good news is that it’s never too early or late to start taking an interest in improving oral hygiene and taking steps to encourage better habits for you and your family. Ultimately, no matter how early or late you start, your body will thank you for looking after your mouth. A healthy smile is a sign of a healthy lifestyle.
Many general health conditions increase the risk of oral diseases, such as diabetes increasing the risk of gum disease, and problems in the mouth can also negatively impact the rest of the body.
However, oral health is also put at risk by a range of common lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diets (particularly high in sugar), tobacco use, and harmful use of alcohol, all of which are significant risk factors contributing not just to oral diseases but also to many other diseases.
You can play a part in protecting your mouth and body by adopting good oral hygiene habits, eating a healthy diet – low in sugar and high in fruits and vegetables, quitting tobacco use, and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption.
Prevention is always better than cure
Another key message of the FDI World Dental Federation which is at the heart of World Oral Health Day is that preventive care is always the best option. Early detection and treatment helps to fight oral diseases and associated health complications – as well as avoiding the pain and discomfort that can be caused when problems are able to develop and require dental or medical intervention.
Adopting good oral hygiene habits and having regular dental check-ups as early as possible can contribute to a lifetime of well-being and better quality of life as you age.
Dental Hygiene at Ibbott&Co Dental Practice
Here at the award winning Ibbott&Co Dental Practice in Wadhurst, we pride ourselves on our preventative approach to dental care and are driven by a desire to help all of our patients maintain happy, healthy smiles. To book an appointment now with one of our experienced and caring dentists or dental hygienists, call now on 01892 782300 or click here to book an appointment online.
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