It's back! National Smile Month returns in 2010 and under the new slogan of 'Teeth4Life'.

Firmly established as the UK's largest oral health awareness campaign, this year's slogan of 'Teeth4Life' highlights the importance of looking after your teeth and maintaining them for life.

Running between May 16 and June 16, its organisers, the British Dental Health Foundation, hope the campaign will raise awareness of the value of good oral health.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, believes this year's 'Teeth4Life' campaign will get the nation talking about the importance of good oral health and he anticipates yet another successful campaign.

He said: "When the first ever Smile campaign was launched more than 35 years ago, one in three people over the age of 16 had no teeth at all. Now that is something you really have to think about twice to appreciate."

"Fortunately, these days the situation is a much happier one. Most of us expect to keep our teeth for life and indeed do so. National Smile Month is all about educating people on how to make the best of their smile."

In the lead-up to this year's campaign, evidence of the first documented link between a foetal death and the mother's pregnancy-related gum disease emerged. The case emphasised the importance of preventive dental treatment and good oral health practice.

"New scientific evidence of systemic links between oral health and overall body health continues to mount. Gum disease has been linked to diabetes, strokes and pregnancy problems as well as heart disease, so it is vital to look after oral hygiene. Almost all of us suffer from gum disease at some point in our lives, but is easy to control it and prevent serious risks," Dr Carter added.

The National Dental Helpline (0845 063 1188) receives thousands of calls every year for advice on preventative care and general oral health issues, alongside enquiries to the www.dentalhealth.org website.

To assist the public in maintaining good oral health, the Foundation will run three key messages throughout the campaign. They are:

• Brush teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste
• Visit the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend
• Cut down on how often you have sugary snacks or drinks

Another vital aspect of the campaign has been the National Smile Month Survey, which investigates the dental habits and oral health knowledge of over 1,000 people in the UK.

Last year's survey revealed very poor public awareness of the importance of good oral healthcare.

Dr Carter said: "All systemic links to gum disease have been well documented and are backed by robust scientific evidence. Despite this, the 2009 survey found that only one in six people realise that people with gum disease are at risk of strokes or diabetes, only one in three are aware of the heart disease link and just one in twenty know that pregnant women with gum disease are more likely to give birth prematurely!

"These results begin to make you realise just how important it is to make people aware of the health risks associated with a poor dental routine."

Sponsored by three giants of oral health care - Oral-B, Wrigley, Orbit Complete and Listerine - the 2010 campaign provides an exciting opportunity for everyone to get involved in promoting good oral healthcare. The Foundation can help dental practices or pharmacies, schools, colleges or workplaces to get organised. Let's spread a positive message to make this year's campaign the most successful ever!

If you are interested in organising an event for National Smile Month you can find information, event ideas, downloadable materials, sponsorship forms and a chance to register your activity at www.smilemonth.org.

In addition, you can enter your National Smile Month event into the annual Dental Awards "Best National Smile Month event" category. For more details, please contact the Foundation at pr@dentalhealth.org

Dr Carter added: "This event will hopefully prove to be the perfect platform for events across the country and we look forward to the activities organised by all our supporters."

Editors Notes

For campaign information and latest oral health news visit www.smilemonth.org, or contact the Foundation at pr@dentalhealth.org or on 01788 546 365.

Chief Executive Dr Nigel Carter is delighted to accommodate most journalists for television, radio and telephone interviews and is available by appointment through the press office on 01788 539 792.

Members of the public can contact the Dental Helpline for free and impartial expert advice on 0845 063 1188, Monday to Friday, or by emailing helpline@dentalhealth.org.

The Foundation hopes to surpass the success of last year's campaign in which UK coverage exceeded 500 media articles, reaching a total circulation of approaching 40,000,000 British readers and viewers.

This included a range of high-profile consumer magazines and leading daily national tabloid and broadsheet papers.

This year's National Smile Month campaign will run in the UK and USA for the third time, as well as initiating the inaugural Smile Month event in the UAE, run under the Foundation's global arm of the International Dental Health Foundation.

National Smile Month is supported by three giants of good oral health care Oral-B, Wrigley, Listerine and Orbit Complete, who applaud the Foundation's efforts to increase awareness of the importance of preventive dentistry.