Whilst the campaign this year is focusing on brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste,
cutting down on sugary foods/ drinks and visiting the dentist regularly and generally focusing on
raising good oral hygiene and diet awareness to support a healthy and happy smile, we here a Cavity
wanted to also shine a light on the wonderful work and messages of “Food Bank Aid”.
Food Bank Aid distribute food, toiletries and household goods to 33 food banks across north London
and Herts from Watford to Tottenham and everywhere in-between.
They support food banks in Barnet, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Herts and Islington
which, in turn, help approximately 20,000 people including 5000 children every week. We are a
community-led charity which supports all denominations and demographics.
FACT: Nearly 1 in 4 households with children (23%, 2.2 million) live in hygiene poverty, lacking basics
like toothbrushes and toothpaste. Around 23% of five-year-olds in London experienced dental decay
or needed tooth extractions last year, and tooth extractions were the most common reason children
aged five to nine were admitted to hospital in 2023–24 (Nuffield Trust, 2025).
Take a look at the work Food Bank Aid are doing below and perhaps as part of National Smile Month
we as a Dental Profession can come together to show our support for the wonderful work this
charity does.
Everybody deserves to have access to basic essentials which can support good oral hyginene and
promote a happy and healthy smile!