Smile
Life
4
Providing the information
needed for good oral health
throughout life.
Smile!
The most effective way of achieving good oral health is
for children, young people and adults to adopt the
following messages:
Import
a
messag nt
e
To reduce the consumption
of both the amount and
frequency of sugar-sweetened
foods and drinks by:
• Keep all foods and drinks containing sugar
to mealtimes
• Snack on fruit and/or vegetables
between meals
• Drink only milk and water
between meals. Keep other
drinks to mealtimes.
Import
a
messag nt
e
To brush regularly with a family
fluoride toothpaste and have
fluoride treatments, such as fluoride
varnish, applied professionally:
Import
a
messag nt
e
To adopt healthy
lifestyle behaviours
such as:
• Do not smoke or use any
form of tobacco
• Keep alcohol consumption
to recommended levels
• Brush twice a day including last thing at night
• Use a smear (under 3 years) or a
pea-sized (over 3 years) amount of
family fluoride toothpaste
• Supervise brushing until at least
7 years of age
• Spit don't rinse after brushing
Import
a
messag nt
e
To visit dental
services regularly:
• Children should visit a dentist from birth
• Children should be seen regularly at intervals
of between 3 and 12 months
• Ask your dentist about fluoride varnish
• Young people and adults should be seen
at regular intervals as determined by
their dentist
• For help in accessing a NHS
dentist for routine or
emergency care call your
local PCT dental
helpline number
Adopting these
important
messages offers
the best chance
of improving the
oral health of
the population.
Smile
Life
4
Need further information and resources?
For resources and information:
www.lancashire.gov.uk/childrenstrusts
Resources designed and developed by Lancashire County Council
in partnership with NHS Central, East and North Lancashire.
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