National Smile Month comes to Walsall

National Smile Month 2011 is taking place between 15 May and 15 June and this year’s theme is ‘Smile Factor’. During the month NHS Walsall is going to be helping to spread the message of good oral health in Walsall by talking to children in nursery schools across the borough.

NHS Walsall Oral Health Promoter, Vikki Tolley will be visiting nursery schools in the Walsall area to talk about the importance of brushing your teeth properly. She will be giving out free colouring books, toothbrushes and toothpaste to interact with the children and show them that brushing their teeth can be fun.

Vikki Tolley, Oral Health Promoter for NHS Walsall, said: “I am delighted to be involved in National Smile Month. In particular I am keen to get across the key message that taking care of your teeth and gums not only benefits your oral health, it has positives for the way your whole body functions too. We want people to realise that there are more NHS dentists in Walsall than they think, and to start using them regularly.”

The talks will be fun, interactive and informative sessions for both the children and parents to learn about how to look after their teeth and gums. The children will be:

• - Learning brushing techniques
• - Using ‘Cedric the crocodile’ to learn about the important of brushing twice daily

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, who organises National Smile Month, paid tribute to NHS Walsall getting involved.

Dr Carter commented: “We are delighted that NHS Walsall has joined the many dental practices, schools, health professionals and community groups promoting good oral healthcare under the umbrella of our National Smile Month campaign. A good oral healthcare routine can help guard against all sorts of oral and general health conditions from bad breath and decay to gum disease, which has been linked to a number of more serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and strokes. By promoting good oral healthcare in a fun and imaginative way we hope to persuade more people of the importance of taking care of their teeth.”

For more information on National Smile visit www.smilemonth.org

For a list of local NHS Dentists click here.