Say Cheese! It’s National Smile Month!
June is symbolic of many things: summer vacation, warm weather, graduation, cookouts, swimming, and more. But did you know that June is National Smile Month?
More than 30 years ago, National Smile Month was created by the British Dental Health Foundation as a way to improve oral health in the UK. In 2009, National Smile Month was celebrated internationally for the first time when the British Dental Health Foundation partnered with Oral Health America to bring the event to the United States.
With its message focusing on the importance of brushing, good nutrition and regular dental visits, there are also many great ways to plan your own family’s National Smile Month celebration at home:
- Give yourself a gift. Toothbrushes should be replaced every 3 to 4 months, sooner if the bristles appear frayed. Pick up a new one for you – or buy a batch of new brushes for the whole family.
- Say cheese! Take the opportunity to talk to your children about healthy snacks like fruits, vegetable, and low-fat cheeses. Or show off those healthy, pearly whites with a family portrait. Every time see your family’s happy faces can remind you to celebrate oral health all year long.
- Help bring a smile to somebody else. Teach your children the importance of giving back with a family volunteer day at a local charity. You may even find an oral-health focused program in your community that seeks to provide dental care and other services to those who can’t afford regular dental check-ups.
And just for good measure, here are 3 more reasons to smile during National Smile Month:
- Smile, for beauty’s sake! According to a survey of more than 1,000 Americans nationwide, a smile is the most important physical feature that contributes to a person’s overall attractiveness. Almost half (47%) said the smile as the most important physical feature, followed by the eyes (27%), and physique (16%).
- Smile for success. More than 6 of 10 Americans (64%) say a smile has some bearing on a person’s overall success.
- Million-dollar mouth. An interesting fact discovered by a group of British researchers – one smile can generate the same level of brain stimulation as 2,000 bars of chocolate. That same smile can also produce stimulation on par with receiving $25,000 in cash. If you want feel like you’ve gotten rich quick, try a smile on for size.
Celebrate National Smile Month with a smile – for whatever reason you choose! Good oral health is always a great reason to smile – and that’s what National Smile Month is all about.
