Dental Hygienists Want You to Have a Healthy Smile for Oral Health Month

As part of oral health month in Canada, National Dental Hygienists Week™ takes place from April 6 to 12.  It’s a perfect opportunity to set new goals to help your smile shine.  Start with six simple steps: floss, brush, use an antibacterial oral rinse, eat a healthy diet, eliminate tobacco use, and see a dental hygienist regularly.

Sponsored by the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (the collective national voice for more than 29,500 dental hygienists across the country), National Dental Hygienists Week™ focuses on “Oral Health for Total Health” as a reminder that taking care of our mouths, teeth, and gums benefits our overall physical and mental well-being.  NDHW™ kicks off on April 6 with Gift from the Heart, www.giftfromtheheart.ca, a national one-day campaign providing no-cost preventive dental hygiene services to thousands of Canadians who cannot afford professional oral health care. The awareness week continues with oral health promotions and events in schools, malls, and clinics so watch for signs of purple—the colour of dental hygiene—in your community!

Dental hygienists are primary health care providers who help us develop daily oral care routines and offer treatment recommendations and disease prevention strategies to keep us smiling for life. As health care superheroes, dental hygienists examine your mouth, head, and neck at every appointment and offer preventive treatments such as scaling and root planing, dental sealants, and fluoride. They may also provide dietary recommendations, tobacco cessation counselling, and sports mouthguard fittings. There is a lot of expertise behind that mask! If your dental hygienist has made a real difference in your life, consider nominating him or her as a health care superhero at dentalhygienecanada.ca/healthcaresuperhero. The competition closes April 30 and there are prizes to be won.

Visit www.cdha.ca/NDHW for resources and activities, including our national colouring contest.  For additional information on caring for your teeth and mouth, visit www.dentalhygienecanada.ca.

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