National smile month is a meaningful annual event that aims to promote oral health and encourage everyone to embrace the power of a smile. To celebrate the importance of maintaining good dental hygiene while recognising the positive impact a smile can have on our overall well-being.

Ways you can get involved

1. Maintain good oral hygiene. Ensure you are brushing your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each time, using fluoride toothpaste. Don’t forget to floss daily and rinse with a mouthwash.
2. Visit your dentist. Schedule a dental check-up during national smile month. Regular visits to your dentist help identify and address any oral health issues promptly.
3. Spread smiles on social media. Share oral health tips, facts, and inspirational quotes that promote the importance of smiles and oral health. Use the hashtag #NationalSmileMonth2026 to join the online conversation and encourage others to participate.
4. Organise smile-focused activities. Arrange events or activities in your community that centre around promoting oral health and spreading smiles. Consider partnering with local schools, dental clinics, or community centres to host workshops, seminars, or interactive sessions that educate participants on oral hygiene practices.
5. Support dental health charities. National smile month is also an opportunity to give back to dental health charities. Consider organising a fundraising event to support organizations that work towards improving oral health in underserved communities.

Oral health issues

We still have a long way to go to address oral health issues across the country and national smile month can help us address some of the issues.

• Three - The amount of school days on average that are missed yearly due to dental problems
• 39 per cent - Almost two in five (39%) of adults that don’t go to the dentist regularly
• 66 per cent - Two in three (665) of adults have visible plaque
• 33 per cent - Of adults have never flossed or cleaned interdentally
• 60 million- people in the UK do not have fluoridated water
• 40 miles - Two million adults in the UK have to travel at least 40 miles to access dental care
• 25 per cent - Adults do not brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
• 31 per cent - Of adults have tooth decay
• 74 per cent - Of adults have had a tooth extracted
• 8,772 - New cases of mouth caner each year
• Six million - over the last year six million adults in the UK have had long-lasting pain (over two weeks) caused by toothache
• Six million - In the UK, there are 6.9 million people who smoke cigarettes.

Learn more about your oral health on the Smile month website.