Australasian Dentist Magazine March April 2021

Category 6 Australasian Dentist W orld Oral Health Day (WOHD) is an initiative of FDI (Fédération Dentaire Internationale) World Dental Federation and is celebrated globally every year on 20th March. The focus is on good oral health practices for adults and children, as optimal oral health helps to maintain general health and wellbeing, helping a person live a longer, healthier life. In 2021, the WOHD campaign is Be Proud of Your Mouth and this same theme will run from 2021-2023. This theme allows all dental professionals to start a conversation with their patients on whether they are proud of their mouth and their smile, and question their patients if they have any concern on how their mouth functions and how it appears to themselves and to others i.e. do they like the alignment of their teeth and are they happy with their tooth colour? If you visit the WOHD webpage, https://www.worldoralhealthday.org/ you will have access to a variety of resources to help in this messaging of good oral health. You can download videos, posters, colouring frames for children and other resources – this is a great time to educate your patients on oral health along with its link to general health. Patients can show their support for the campaign by using the online Mouth Proud custom poster tool found at https:// www.worldoralhealthday.org/custom- poster to place an ornate art frame over their mouths, showing that they recognise just how significant and important their mouth is and committing to making their oral health a daily priority. The poster can be created at home, and everyone can show their solidarity with the campaign and contribute to the global movement by sharing their images on the WOHDMouth Proud Wall. Or maybe you would like to create a “Mouth Proud Wall” yourself, where your patients can take a photo and upload it onto the Mouth Proud Wall that you have created in your dental office? Philips supports the WOHD initiative from the FDI and is committed to offering a complete solution for consumers to take control of their general and oral health. Philips has produced several brochures on the linkages between oral health and general health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and pregnancy and these brochures are available to be downloaded and given to your patients from the Philips website at https://www.philips.com.au/c-e/pe/ dental-professionals/dental-indications/ oral-and-overall-health.html Philips also has several products that can address the health and look of your patients’ mouths, including their superior range of Sonicare products and their excellent Zoom whitening products, which help your patients take care of their mouths and be proud of them. To maintain a healthy mouth and smile, Philips recommends you and your patients u brush twice a day with a Sonicare power toothbrush u floss daily with Sonicare AirFloss or dental floss u maintain a healthy diet with a reduction of sugar in the diet u visit your dentist twice a year u have your teeth Zoom whitened to smile confidently Following these recommendations will ensure patients take care of their mouths and achieve good general health and good oral health that they can be proud of. Over the next three years your Mouth Proud Wall should fill up with the photos of these smiling patients who are truly Proud of their Mouths! u DISCLAIMER Dr Hera Dimitriadis, BDS, BA, MHM is the Dental Professional Relations Manager in Australia and New Zealand for Philips Oral Health Care. Hera has an extensive career in dentistry and health care in both NSW and Qld, including clinical practice, health management, dental practice accreditation, and dental and public health education. World Oral Health Day 2021 n ws 1800 806 450 www.amalgadent.com.au Refer to inside front cover to see award winning Universal Adhesive Which Bond ? Feb 2021 Footer Ads.indd 1 04-Feb-21 12:18:16 PM By Dr Hera Dimitriadis, BDS, BA, MHM