World Oral Health Day unites members of the oral health and broader NCD community to emphasize the essentiality of good oral health for general health, well-being and quality of life, and therefore the need to integrate oral health within health systems and the noncommunicable disease (NCD) response.

Every year, FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) invites everyone to celebrate World Oral Health Day (WOHD) on 20 March by taking meaningful action to help end the neglect of global oral health.

Oral diseases are the most prevalent disease worldwide, affecting around 3.5 billion people globally (almost half of the world’s population!). They often manifest together with other NCDs in the form of co-morbidities and can even impact NCD treatment outcomes. Unfortunately, oral health is often isolated within health systems, separating the mouth from the body and underestimating the importance of oral health for general health.

On WOHD 2022, help us spread the word by inspiring as many people as possible to look after their oral health and protect their quality of life. This year, the campaign highlights that an unhealthy mouth can severely impact every aspect of life, and calls on people to look after their oral health for their happiness and well-being.

Because the goal of a happy life unites us all, take action by getting regular dental check-ups, brushing your teeth twice a day, avoiding tobacco and alcohol use, eating a well-balanced diet low in free sugars, and encouraging those around you to do the same. By prioritizing good oral health practices, you are promoting better general health and quality of life that supports emotional, social, mental, and physical well-being.

Join the #MouthProudChallenge!

This year, make your voice heard on social media, join the #MouthProudChallenge! Make a personal commitment to prioritize your oral health by capturing the moment with the online #MouthProud custom poster tool or the Mouth Proud social media filters (available on Instagram, Facebook). Individuals and health professionals are encouraged to take part in the challenge by using the #MouthProud frame in a video or picture while, for example, brushing and flossing properly, cutting out sugary treats (including sugar-sweetened drinks), eating a healthy meal, visiting the dentist for a check-up, or just flashing a natural smile to cheer someone up! Participants are invited to nominate four friends or colleagues to take part in this digital movement.

Get involved

There is so much you can do to celebrate WOHD 2022 and call on people to be #MouthProud for their happiness and well-being, and on governments and policymakers to address oral health as an essential component of the NCD response to promote health, happiness, and well-being.

• Encourage your network to support WOHD on social media by using ready-made messages from here or sharing your own. Use the hashtags #MouthProud and #WOHD22, and don’t forget to tag us at @worldoralhealthday on Instagram or at @fdiworlddental on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
• Check out all the resources available to help spread the word. Join the many activities planned by FDI’s network around WOHD 2022 in the Map of Activities.
• Advocate the importance of integrating oral health in NCD programmes and universal health coverage (UHC) benefit packages given the associations between oral health and NCDs, as recognized by the upcoming WHO global strategy on oral health (draft version available). You can use the five key messages from the FDI-NCD Alliance briefing note for policymakers: WHY and HOW to integrate oral health into the NCD and UHC responses. Here is a snapshot of some associations between oral diseases, other conditions, and NCD treatments:

Source: FDI World Dental Federation, NCD Alliance. WHY and HOW to integrate oral health into the NCD and UHC responses. 

Learn more about engagement opportunities during WOHD on worldoralhealthday.org.