- Dustin Kuras
JUNE IS ORAL HEALTH MONTH!
We’re celebrating Oral Health Month in June, and you’re invited! We care for every part of our body, so why should our mouths be neglected? Supported by the American Dental Association, Oral Health Month is a reminder about the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene, always.
HISTORY OF ORAL HEALTH MONTH 🧐
People have been watching their oral health for a long time. The initial toothbrushes were made of tree twigs. People would chew on the twigs to spread the fibers, which acted like bristles to clean their teeth. In fact, the ancient Greeks used pumice, talc, alabaster, coral powder, or iron rust as toothpaste.
A dentist in Connecticut, Alfred Fones, understood the importance of oral healthcare and trained his cousin to become the first dental hygienist. This gave an impetus for the very first dental hygiene program to be established in Bridgeport, Connecticut, by Dr. Fones. Years later, the American Dental Hygiene Association was formed and, soon, all 50 states of America had licensed dental hygienists. This advancement resulted in the innovation of several healthcare and technology devices that brought oral health to what it is now. A special book commonly called the “Dental Hygiene Bible” (real name, “1st Edition of Clinical Practice of The Dental Hygienist”) was published by Dr. Esther Wilkins during this time.
ORAL HEALTH MONTH TIMELINE 🤓
HOW TO CELEBRATE ORAL HEALTH MONTH 🎉
Take care of oral issues Read up on all the issues that can affect your oral health. Make note of everything you can do together with your family to better your oral health like brushing, flossing, and more. A healthy mouth leads to a happy life, we believe, and Oral Health Month is the perfect time to start taking care of it.
Smile and show off your oral health Have a perfect set of pearly whites? Show them off to the world and share your tips on how to maintain good oral health. You can even post a picture of you, your smile, and your family, all taking care of your oral health together. Encourage others to do the same. Liking and sharing others’ efforts counts too.
Made a dental appointment Visit your dentist for a quick oral check-up. You can also schedule a visit to the dental hygienist and share your experience to encourage others to do the same.
5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT TEETH 🤔
Teeth cannot heal themselves Teeth are the only part of the body that cannot heal themselves.
We see only a part of our teeth We actually see only 1/3 of our teeth; the other ⅔ is hidden under the gums.
Smiles are the first thing people notice 50% of people say smiles are the very first feature they notice about other people.
We spend almost 40 days brushing our teeth On average, people spend around 38.5 days in their lifetime brushing their teeth.
Flossing is a lifesaver Dentists say flossing can increase life expectancy by six years, as it reduces chances of infectious diseases and even prevents heart attacks.
WHY WE LOVE ORAL HEALTH MONTH ❣️
Healthy pearly whites Oral Health Month reminds us of all the ways we can protect our teeth. Since smiles are the first things people see, we want them to be our brightest feature. That, plus good oral hygiene helps keep our teeth and gums healthy too.
We honor those who came before We believe emphasizing oral health honors the work of everyone who had a hand in taking dentistry and oral health to the heights it enjoys today. They worked tirelessly towards better oral health; the least we can do is maintain this practice in our own lives.
Healthy by association Good oral hygiene practices keep your teeth and gums in top shape and influence your loved ones to do the same too. The more we learn about various healthy practices, the more we take pride in maintaining them, and subsequently, the bigger the difference we can make in our family’s and friends’ oral health.