The document discusses National Oral Hygiene Month which is observed in October. It emphasizes promoting good oral hygiene habits such as brushing twice daily, flossing, rinsing with antimicrobial mouthwash, and chewing sugar-free gum to maintain oral health and overall wellness. Suggestions are provided for campaigns and events during the month such as discounted cleanings, poster competitions, and giveaways to raise awareness on the importance of oral hygiene.

1. NATIONAL ORAL HYGIENE
MONTH
OCTOBER

2. The month of October is dedicated to promoting healthy mouths and to bring the awareness on the
health of your gums and teeth
We absolutely want to use this month to promote good oral hygiene to our patients and encourage their
participation in their overall health journey
Keeping up your oral hygiene is not just about cleaning your teeth but to keep your overall health in good
condition

3. Things to promote
• Emphasize on the importance of oral hygiene maintenance
• Need of professional cleaning
• Emphasize on the importance of habits that can promote good oral health
• Counsel to abandon the habits
• Emphasize on why oral hygiene is important during covid19
• Emphasize on why oral hygiene is imp to keep your overall health in good
condition and relation of gum disease with systemic problems
• Educate pts about which gum diseases are reversable and irreversible
(basically to highlight how imp our oral healthhygiene is and why it should be
taken seriously)

4. ideas
• In the middle of this pandemic, your office could host a “Smile Ride,” where patients come
through by car and receive a goodie bag full of toothpaste, floss, toothbrush, and sugar-free gum
• We can have all of this campaign sponsored by any toothpaste company like Colgate, etc.
• Or a little camp within the hospital for dental screening and consultation which also be done in
oral diagnosis dept.
• Discount on dental scaling for this month
• Fun ideas for patient participation during this month in your office could include a cash prize for a
lucky patient who posts their hygiene goals and successes throughout the month and gets the
most likes!
• Poster competition for 3rd and 4th year

5. THE DAILY FOUR
• BRUSH
• FLOSS
• RINSE
• CHEW

6. BRUSH
• Hey kids – Do you know that 2 is the magic number? Both kids and adults should brush for two
minutes two times a day to help reduce biofilm and prevent caries, gingivitis and other biofilm-
related diseases.
• Practice proper brushing techniques and you are on your way to a brighter smile!
• Use Tooth Brushing Chart to help your kids track their success

7. FLOSS
• dental hygiene care plan be personalized according to the individual’s unique oral health needs, general health
status, values, expectations and abilities, an approach we have been practicing here at Keystone Dental Arts for
years.
• It remains a fact that daily proper flossing or use of other interdental cleaning methods removes biofilm and food
particles that a toothbrush can’t reach. Lack of adequate care in these areas can lead to biofilm buildup, which we
know can lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease.
• What we do understand from the new information available, is flossing may not be right for everyone, and we are
working in partnership with each of our patients to identify the interdental cleaning method that best suits his or
her oral health needs and abilities.
• At your next periodic exam, expect to have a conversation with your hygienist or dentist to discuss their
recommendations for the interdental cleaning devices that best fit your oral health needs

8. RINSE
• Teeth alone account for less than half of the mouth, so it is important not to forget about the rest.
• Rinsing with an antimicrobial mouth rinse helps eliminate biofilm and bacteria that brushing and
flossing cannot. Ask your hygienist or dentist which antiseptic mouth rinse is right for you.
• When you are unable to brush or use a commercial mouth rinse between meals and snacks, we
recommend rinsing with water to help dissolve excess sugars and wash away acids.
• Rinsing can be extra important for elderly adults who might be more susceptible to oral health
problems due to disease, dry mouth from medications, and disabilities that might prohibit
adequate, independent oral health care.

9. CHEW
• Bacteria in the biofilm on teeth produce acid and can decrease your oral pH to an unsafe level.
This can cause demineralization that, over time, weakens teeth and can lead to decay.
• When you are unable to brush and floss after a meal, it might surprise you to learn, we
recommend chewing sugar-free gum to help protect your teeth.
• Chewing stimulates the salivary glands to increase their flow rate by up to 10 times during the
first few minutes of chewing and the flavors in sugar-free gum also increase the quantity of saliva
in the mouth. This helps clean out food particles and neutralizes biofilm acids on the teeth.

10. HOW TO PROMOTE
Give pamphlets to pts in diagnosis
Have 4-5 banners inside and outside hospital
Post pictures and pamphlets from hospital or university’s official accounts
Post your pt. pictures(beforeafter) on your social accounts
Post pictures of yourself or your group observing the cause