World Oral Health Day (WOHD) is celebrated globally each year on March 20 to empower people with the tools and knowledge to prevent and control oral diseases, which affect nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide, according to the FDI World Dental Federation.
WOHD encourages people to look after their oral health by adopting a good oral hygiene routine and managing risk factors. Preserving oral health can help keep the mind and body healthy too, FDI said, as well as protect against the spread of infections.
For the next three years, the WOHD campaign’s theme will be “Be Proud of Your Mouth.” With this call to action, FDI said, it hopes to motivate people to value and take care of their mouths and understand that by doing so, they also can help protect their general health and well-being.
With the online #MouthProud custom poster tool, people can place an ornate art frame over their mouths to show they recognize how important the mouth and commit to prioritizing their oral health, FDI said.
People can use the tool safely from home, show their solidarity with the campaign, and contribute to the movement by sharing their images on the Mouth Proud Wall as well, FDI said.
Each year, FDI records hundreds of WOHD events that reach millions of people worldwide organized by its member dental associations and specialist groups, as well as the wider healthcare community.
In 2021, FDI will work to ensure that every in-person celebration will respect local public health guidelines, the organization said.
“The most important thing is that our World Oral Health Day celebrations be conducted safely. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the nature and scale of in-person events, but with today’s technology, so much more is possible,” said FDI president Dr. Gerhard K. Seeberger.
“Today, we have more time to organize low-risk, impactful campaign events for March 2021. I encourage everyone to visit www.worldoralhealthday.org and use the wealth of resources that are freely available,” he said.
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