Laugh, Kiss, Whistle, Brush, and Chew For World Oral Health Day!

The theme of this year’s World Oral Health Day is “Celebrating Healthy Smiles” with the tagline “Eat, laugh, kiss, brush, whistle, rinse, chew… for a healthy mouth!”

World Oral Health Day is celebrated every year around the world on March 20, to emphasize the importance of good oral hygiene and recognize the advantages of a healthy mouth. Seventy five countries are participating, across the regions of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. These efforts are crucial, considering as much as 90% of the world’s population will experience a problem with oral disease during their lifetime.

Oral hygiene is important to everyone, no matter what age. This year’s theme, “Celebrating Healthy Smiles,” emphasizes the positive things we can do with a healthy mouth and a healthy smile: laugh, kiss, whistle, brush, and chew.

Steps to a Healthy Mouth

Arkansas Family Dental offers patients a broad range of services to help you develop and maintain a healthy smile and beautiful teeth, which all start with good oral health habits.

• Start dental care early. Parental awareness of early dental care and how it influences healthy teeth is vital from the very beginning of life. Considering that one in four children have some tooth decay before starting school, guiding parents toward good dental health is fundamental. A baby’s teeth begin to form even before the third trimester of pregnancy. From the appearance of an infant’s first tooth, to teaching a toddler to brush, you will be taking vital steps towards that first dental visit with your child.
• Balance your diet with unprocessed foods. Foods without a list of artificial ingredients will keep your teeth healthy, cleaner and help the body fight infections. Since your bright smile is one of the first things people notice, take the time to learn about eating healthy for your teeth and eliminate foods with chemicals, sweeteners and artificial additives.
• Watch what you drink and chew. If it’s dark, it will probably stain your teeth. Cola, tea, and red wine are culprits, along with tobacco. Brush and floss immediately after eating to prevent stains and tooth decay. Eliminating tobacco products will also decrease chances of major health problems like heart disease and oral cancer.
• Don’t neglect your tongue. Clean your tongue every day with a toothbrush or tongue scraper. The scraper works better than a toothbrush because it is specifically designed to trap plaque across the tongue. Make this a habit whenever you brush and floss to help get rid of bacteria build up.
• Teach your children healthy dental habits. As a parent, you want to pass on your healthy dental hygiene habits to your children, and it should be a fun undertaking. Let your child choose their own child-friendly toothbrush and flavored toothpaste so they look forward to cleaning time. Take advantage of the dental health products on the market for kids and make any experience with teething, brushing, flossing and rinsing a pleasant one.

Specifically focusing on oral health one day each year is a powerful way to highlight how important it is to protect the teeth and mouth throughout life. Oral health is important for everyone, regardless of age. It’s never too late to start practicing good oral hygiene habits. Celebrate World Oral Health Day by contacting Arkansas Family Dental to begin an oral health regimen for yourself or a family member.