The World Dental Federation has designated March 20 of each year as World Oral Health Day. To echo this special day, the Oral Health Education Division (OHED) of the Department of Health (DH) today (March 20) launched a new promotional video entitled "320 Live a Lifetime of Smiles" on its YouTube channel to encourage the public to treasure the health of their mouths by protecting their oral health so as to embrace a lifetime aspiration to "Be Proud of Your Mouth".
      
     The DH calls on the public to take action in protecting their oral health, starting from an early age and continuing throughout their lives. Parents should begin caring for their child's oral health from birth and cultivate good oral health practices, healthy dietary habits, and regular dental check-ups. Adults should also maintain these good habits, as oral health is closely related to one's overall physical health. Oral problems such as dental decay and gum diseases share many common behavioural risk factors with other non-communicable diseases (e.g. cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer). These risk factors include poor personal hygiene, smoking and excessive sugar intake.
      
     The Consultant in-charge, Dental Services of the DH, Dr Wiley Lam, emphasised to the public the importance of developing good oral care habits, which include keeping the mouth clean, regular dental check-ups, adopting healthy eating habits, reducing sugar consumption and avoiding tobacco and alcohol. By following these habits, individuals of every age can maintain healthy teeth and gums, and enjoy a lifetime of beautiful smiles.
      
     The theme of this year's World Oral Health Day is "Be Proud of Your Mouth - Look After Your Oral Health for a Lifetime of Smiles". The OHED of the DH of has created short videos to promote oral care tips, and has organised World Oral Health Day activities for students of different grades in schools. These activities include encouraging kindergarten students to make special cards with their parents, inviting primary school students to create bookmarks with oral care tips for their family and friends, and distributing stickers to students with special education needs to create step-by-step toothbrushing collages. For secondary school students, the division has organised a "Look After Your Oral Health" group game design competition which inspire their creativity to incorporate oral health information into the games. In addition, the OHED is spreading the message of "Be Proud of Your Mouth" to the public through various channels, including radio broadcasts, bus stop shelter advertisements, MTR train door stickers, and its Facebook fan page.
      
     For more information about oral health, please visit the OHED's Toothclub webpage (www.toothclub.gov.hk), the Facebook fan page of "R¦¾¤ Love Teeth HK" (www.facebook.com/LoveTeethHK/) and the OHED YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/channel/UChJUkaM37cgbNGMi23v0ivQ).

Ends/Monday, March 20, 2023
Issued at HKT 12:00

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