Oral Health America’s Fall for Smiles® campaign is underway, having launched Sept. 1 with the release of our public opinion survey results that show that low-income older Americans are not receiving the oral health care they need. We also recently hosted an event on Capitol Hill, honoring Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) for his work for oral health and bringing attention to the dire situation for older adults in this country when it comes to maintaining a healthy mouth.
Although much has been done already, Fall for Smiles runs through the end of October, so there is plenty of time to get involved. For those looking to educate friends, family members, or patients about oral health and caring for your teeth, we have tip sheets tailored to both children and older adults. To make learning about dental health fun, we have a booklet of activities for kids available to download. In the booklet you’ll find experiments that show what happens to teeth when they aren’t cared for, fun ways to demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques, and suggestions for tooth-friendly snacks. We’re also encouraging everyone to share photos of themselves and their coworkers or family members taking care of their teeth in our Smile Contest. For every submission, OHA will make a donation to one of our Smiles Across America partners, and contest participants get to choose which partner their submission will benefit. Visit our Fall for Smiles webpage for more information about the Smile Contest and all of our campaign resources.
Coming up next month, we’ll be hosting a Twitter party where we will go over all of the Fall for Smiles resources, answer questions about the campaign, and discuss our survey results. Keep an eye on the Fall for Smiles webpage and follow us on Twitter @Smile4Health for more details as we approach the second half of our campaign.
