Be even more proud of your mouth this World Oral Health Day

Now in its third highly successful year of encouraging people across the globe to be proud of their mouth, World Oral Health Day (WOHD) will once again be observed on 20 March this year.

WOHD 2023 is an empowering call-to-action to people to take charge of their oral health, with the stress not on having a perfect mouth but a healthy one.

The three-year “Be Proud of Your Mouth” campaign, of which 2023 is the third and final instalment, has always sought to inspire lasting and positive change by educating people on the vital role a healthy mouth plays in their lives with the 2021 campaign focusing on the close link between good oral and overall health and the 2022 campaign underscoring how an unhealthy mouth can impact every aspect of a person’s life.

A key initiative of the FDI World Dental Federation, of which the ADA is an active member – it is the host for this year’s FDI World Dental Congress to be held in Sydney from 24 to 27 September - WOHD aims to encourage the world to unite to help reduce the burden of oral diseases.

Dental diseases such as dental caries and periodontal disease are prevalent with one in three Australians over 15 years of age suffering from moderate to severe gum disease and over 40% of children aged 5-10 years experiencing dental caries in their primary teeth. 

In 2019-2020 the combined expenditure on dental disease in Australia was 9.5 billion dollars and around 4 in 10 people over the age of 15 years avoided or delayed visiting a dentist due to cost.

Continuing the theme of being mouth proud, WOHD is hoping to empower people with the knowledge, tools and confidence to take charge of their oral health or help others to do so, with a particular focus on the following groups:

- individuals to take personal action

- schools and youth groups to deliver learning activities about oral health

- oral health professionals and the wider healthcare community to educate the populations they serve

- governments and policymakers to champion better oral health for all.

People in countries around the world are encouraged to take part through a variety of activities, all of which should emphasise this year’s theme of looking after your oral health at every stage of life, because no matter what age you are, caring for your mouth and looking after your oral health is important.

Show your support for the event, whether you're organising an event or simply spreading the word among family and friends, by downloading these specially-created resources.
 

Download now

Share on every channel you use and let us know what you do to mark WOHD this year!

Remember, there’s a great range of specially created consumer-focused oral health resources which you can access year-round at the ADA’s Teeth.org.au