23 Mar 2014

March 20 has been selected as the new World Oral Health Day (WOHD) to mark the eighth commemoration of the day.

The new date was selected because children developed 20 milk teeth and adults should ideally have 20 natural teeth at the end of their lives.

However, Botswana did not celebrate the day with the rest of the world as the country celebrated the day last September as was the norm throughout the world.

The international day celebrated the benefits of a healthy mouth and promotes worldwide awareness of oral health issues amongst the young and old people.

This year’s theme was: Celebrating healthy smiles, to reflect the major contribution oral health makes to people’s lives.

Countries around the world, dental associations, schools, companies and other groups celebrated the day with events organised under this single, unifying and simple message.

The changing of the commemoration date from 12 September to March 20 was due to clashes with other international days and specifically the annual International Dental Federation (FDI) Congress.
ENDS