TEETH
GIVE US A SMILE! Katie Langford, Director of People at Groundswell, shares information and tips for looking after our mouths.
When our mental health is poor, or life spirals out of control, it can mean we don’t look after our mouths as well as we should. The healthy mouths project spoke to over 260 people across London about their mouth health, including people who are homeless, living in hostels or insecure accommodation. Findings found:
Katie served a prison sentence in Australia from 2013 to 2016. On returning home to l 90% of participants had an issue the UK one of the first steps to rebuilding with their mouth health since becoming her life was volunteering at Groundswell, homeless. a national charity that offers people with l 27% of participants have used alcohol to experience of homelessness opportunities help them deal with dental pain and 28% to create solutions to homelessness. have used drugs. Katie volunteered as a Peer l Only 23% had been Researcher on the Healthy to the dentist in the “When I got my teeth Mouths Project in 2017, sorted it was amazing. It took last six months. which aims to promote me ages to stop putting my hand l 58% were not clear over my mouth. Even just seeing good oral health and on their rights to NHS the look in peoples’ eyes. I don’t know dentistry. increase access to if they sensed that I was more at ease l Despite the dental services for with myself when I smiled. They could many difficulties, people experiencing smile with me. I actually feel that participants clearly social exclusion. getting my teeth sorted has helped valued good oral health me to turn a corner. They don’t hurt Keeping our teeth and believed dentists anymore and I’m not drinking now. and mouths healthy were there to help. I’m not embarrassed. I can is about much more start looking to the future.” than enabling us to chew We found that many - Research Participant food; teeth help us speak people relied on sugar to clearly, give our faces shape and get them through the day, but a healthy smile helps with confidence frequently eating or drinking sugary and self-esteem. Dental discomfort can treats can cause tooth decay, which left be extremely painful and prevent us from untreated can cause nerves to become living our best lives. infected and die, leading to painful abscesses. Smoking, drinking and drugs can have As someone who has spent time in a damaging impact on our teeth, but our custody, I know it can take weeks, or more mental health can also affect our teeth. likely months, to access a dentist. In my 72 H E A LT H Y F O U N DAT I O N S
