The Oral Health Improvement team is getting families across Bradford and Airedale smiling for summer, as they launch a campaign to encourage people to take better care of their oral health.

The campaign is launching as part of National Smile Month – the UK’s largest and longest-running campaign to promote good oral health which runs from 16 May-16 June. Dental services across the country will be sharing the message that ‘everyone deserves a smile’ and Bradford’s Community Dental service will extend the campaign throughout the summer months.

Working with children’s centres and local dental practices, the team will be giving out toothbrushing packs and advice postcards to promote how to brush your teeth well, diet advice to reduce tooth decay and how to keep the mouth healthy.

According to the Oral Health Foundation, who organise National Smile Month each year, the key ways to maintain good oral health are:

• Brushing teeth for two minutes, last thing at night and one other time during the day, with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Cleaning between teeth every day.
• Cutting down how much and how often you have sugary foods and drinks.
• Visiting a dentist regularly.

Anne-Marie Dorrington, service manager at the Care Trust, said: “We are so passionate about making sure everyone can have a healthy, happy smile and knows how to look after their oral health.

“This is a brilliant opportunity for us to get Bradford smiling for summer and raise awareness of good oral health in the community. The tips we’re sharing are really simple and easy to keep up with in our busy day-to-day lives, but will make a huge difference to people’s overall health in the long term.”

To access a great range of resources around tooth brushing and good oral health for children and young people, visit the Healthy Smiles page. To find out more about the Oral Health Improvement team, including how to contact them and the support they offer, you can also visit their team page.