At a packed event in the heart of London, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, opened National Smile Month 2025 with a compelling reminder: “You can’t have good general health without oral health.”
Speaking on Friday 9 May 2025, to more than 100 health professionals, campaigners, and industry leaders at the Surveyors House, Dr Carter set the tone for a month of nationwide action under the theme Feed Your Smile.
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The launch event marks the start of the UK’s biggest oral health awareness campaign, which runs from 12 May to 12 June 2025. Now in its 49th year, National Smile Month aims to unite the dental profession, community partners, and sponsors in promoting better oral health for all. This year’s theme, Feed Your Smile, shines a spotlight on the often-overlooked connection between diet and oral health.
“National Smile Month is about much more than just raising awareness,” said Dr Carter. “It’s about bringing people together – working across the profession and with our trade sponsors to actively promote oral health to communities, patients, and the wider public in meaningful and impactful ways.”
Reflecting on the campaign’s remarkable journey since its beginnings in Birmingham in 1977, Dr Carter shared: “Back then, it was widely expected that people would lose most of their teeth by their 40s or 50s. Today, we’ve made enormous strides, thanks to public education and innovations like fluoride toothpaste. But now, we face a new challenge – the diet-driven damage being done to our oral health.”
Dr Carter used the opportunity to draw attention to global progress, including the Oral Health Foundation’s education initiatives in Vietnam and support for the World Health Organisation’s oral health strategy across Europe. “We must take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime chance to make a lasting impact,” Dr Carter added.
He also highlighted a key concern around infant nutrition: “There’s an urgent need to address the problem of unhealthy baby food, which encourages a preference for sugary products at an early age. We must support campaigns that promote healthier options right from the start.”
The event also featured inspiring contributions from a range of speakers leading oral health efforts across the UK and internationally.
Joanne Downs, Advanced Oral Health Practitioner at Kent Community NHS Foundation Trust, shared how her team is putting Feed Your Smile into action across 12 districts. She highlighted the appointment of 401 oral health champions and their work in schools, family hubs, and care homes.
“We’re deeply committed to improving children’s dental health in Kent,” said Joanne. “Through initiatives like our pilot toothbrushing programme, we’re seeing significant positive impacts. By supporting schools and nurseries in our most deprived districts, we’re making sure that children are brushing their teeth daily and developing lifelong healthy habits.”
Kent libraries have become an unlikely but vital partner in the campaign. “With over 3 million visits last year, their reach is extraordinary,” Joanne added. “From colouring sheets to Clean Teeth Club certificates, we’re using every opportunity to engage the community.”
Rhiannon Jones, President of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) brought a passionate and thought-provoking message drawn from her years of clinical experience.
“My focus today is on those patients who aren’t engaging with their treatment,” she said. “Before we consider moving a patient to palliative care, we must ask: have we exhausted all options? If we haven’t explored adjuncts like mouthwashes, especially those with essential oils or cetylpyridinium chloride, then we haven’t done everything possible to help them manage their oral health.”
Rhiannon called on clinicians to think differently about common tools: “Mouthwashes are not just a convenience or a quick breath freshener – they’re a vital part of a comprehensive oral care routine.”
National Smile Month is being supported by some of the UK’s most well-known household oral care brands such as Oral-B, Listerine, Sensodyne Pronamel and the Wrigley Oral Care Programme.
Representing global healthcare leader Haleon, Dr Kate Fabrikant, Medical Director for Northern Europe, highlighted the broader behavioural and systemic challenges we now face in improving oral health.
“In today’s world, improving oral health isn’t as simple as introducing fluoride toothpaste,” she said. “We need to understand the deeper challenges that consumers face in their daily habits – habits they may not even realise are harming their oral health.”
Dr Fabrikant detailed Haleon’s recent research, conducted with the College of General Dentistry, revealing major barriers in awareness and communication. “The disconnect between what dental professionals believe is the right message and what consumers actually understand is a significant barrier,” she said. “That’s where collaboration across sectors becomes critical.”
She also called attention to the importance of health literacy. “The goal is to make oral health tools more accessible, understandable, and actionable – so people can make informed choices that will protect their smiles for life.”
As the event drew to a close, Dr Carter encouraged everyone to get behind the campaign: “Let’s make the 49th National Smile Month our most impactful yet – and build the momentum as we head towards the golden anniversary next year.”
For more information about supporting National Smile Month, visit www.smilemonth.org.
