April is oral health month in Canada and, while we all continue to focus on overcoming COVID-19 and keeping our communities healthy, we cannot forget that maintaining good health includes protecting our oral health.
Dental hygienists know that taking care of our mouths, teeth, and gums benefits our overall physical and mental well-being. We take the opportunity to spread the “Oral Health for Total Health” message far and wide during National Dental Hygienists Week™, which runs from April 4 to 10. Although COVID-19 precautions may still prevent a full return to in-person public awareness events, dental hygienists will be active on social media, reminding us how to establish and maintain good daily dental hygiene habits at home. It just takes six simple steps: floss, brush, use an antibacterial oral rinse, eat a healthy diet, eliminate tobacco use, and schedule regular dental hygiene appointments. In keeping with our overall message, this year we are highlighting the critical importance of supporting seniors’ oral health in particular. www.cdha.ca/oralhealthforseniors.
Sponsored by the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (the collective national voice for more than 30,000 dental hygienists across the country), National Dental Hygienists Week™ remains a perfect time to focus on our oral health and celebrate the professionals who help us smile brightly every day. Dental hygienists are essential primary health care providers who examine our 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. If your dental hygienist has made a real difference in your life, either before or since the pandemic began, consider nominating them as a health care superhero at dentalhygienecanada.ca/healthcaresuperhero.
Visit cdha.ca/NDHW for resources and activities, including our national colouring contest for children. For additional information on caring for your oral health, visit dentalhygienecanada.ca.
