In just a few days’ time will see the start of National Smile Month, the largest and longest-running campaign there is that aims to promote good oral health and a campaign that has actually been occuring every year since 1976. Running this year from 13 May to 13 June 2019, the annual awareness campaign ultimately sets out to help us all achieve improved physical and mental wellbeing by improving our own oral health. It is led by The Oral Health Foundation, one of the world’s leading independent oral health charities, formed back in 1971. Medical Specialists® ourselves are advocates for better dental health, publishing many news articles and stories on how to improve dental hygiene as well as offering a wide range of dental and mouth care treatment. We can provide emergency antibiotic dental treatment such as Amoxicillin or Metronidazole – with the agreement you book an dentist appointment, the long-lasting CB12 mouthwash (as seen on television), breath sprays and will shortly be updating our website to include prescription-only Colgate Duraphat 2800 and 5000 toothpaste. This toothpaste will be available to suitable patients following an online consultation and contains a higher concentration of sodium fluoride, offering much improved protection against tooth decay, including in those that have already previously suffered with tooth decay. Through the support of the NHS and thousands of individuals and organisations such as Medical Specialists® Pharmacy, National Smile Month puts the spotlight onto three key messages, all of which go a long way in helping us develop and maintain a healthy mouth. They are:

• Brush your teeth last thing at night and on at least one other occasion with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Cut down on how much sugary food and drink you have, and how often you have them.
• Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.

The campaign urges a wide area of society to get involved, such as dental and health professionals, schools, pharmacies, community groups, colleges and workplaces – in fact anyone with an interest in good oral healthcare – to join in and help the charity educate, motivate and communicate positive oral health messages and improve the quality of smiles all around the world. Remember though that National Smile Month isn’t merely about education and stressing the importance of a healthy mouth. The key to the success of this campaign – and indeed any campaign - is that people can still have some fun whilst getting involved! By taking part in National Smile Month, you are helping to creating a healthier and happier world. The campaign promotes positivity as well as the true value of a smile, not just for the advantages of our physical health, but mental wellbeing too. Some may think a simple smile is insignificant, but it can have a massive impact on our state of mind, as well as the emotional welfare of others. You can support and get involved with National Smile Month in a whole range of different ways. Individuals or businesses can organise events or fundraise to increase awareness of oral health, or simply post something engaging onto social media to get people talking about the subject matter. You can also subscribe to the Oral Health Foundation mailing list. By doing that, you will receive up-to-date news, campaigns and activities from the organisation.