The world oral health day is celebrated every year on March 20 to increase awareness about oral health by promoting oral hygiene, by minimizing various risk factors which are responsible for oral diseases and accessing oral health services.

The theme of the World Oral Health Day is ‘Be Proud of Your Mouth’ for 2021-2023. In other words, take care of your oral health, it is precious.

Oral health is a wide term refers to the health of the teeth, gums, and the entire oral-facial system that helps in smiling, speaking and chewing. Oral health is an important parameter for overall health, wellbeing and quality of life.

Oral diseases include -dental caries, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth loss, oral cancer, oral manifestations of HIV infection, oro-dental trauma and birth defects such as cleft lip and palate. Most oral health conditions are preventable and can be treated in their early stages.

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 showed that oral diseases affect about 3.5 billion people worldwide. Most oral diseases and non-communicable diseases share common modifiable risk factors- tobacco use, alcohol consumption and unhealthy diets rich in free sugars. Hence by minimizing the risk factors oral health can be promoted.

Promote your oral health by-

• Eating a well-balanced diet low in free sugars and high in fruit and vegetables.
• Stopping use of all forms of tobacco, including chewing of areca nuts;
• Reducing alcohol consumption;
• Encouraging use of protective equipment when doing sports and travelling on bicycles and motorcycles (to reduce the risk of facial injuries).
• Brushing tooth twice-daily with fluoride-containing toothpaste (1000 to 1500 ppm)