March 20 is World Oral Health Day, a day to celebrate the benefits of a healthy mouth and to promote worldwide awareness of the issues around oral health and the importance of good oral hygiene for everyone old and young. World Oral Health Day is organized by the FDI World Dental Federation in collaboration with the ADA and recognized in more than 50 countries worldwide.

California components, schools and businesses across the state can celebrate the day by holding events under the slogan "Celebrating Healthy Smiles" and the benefits that come with good oral health.

Dental decay is the most common chronic childhood disease with more than 16 million children suffering from untreated tooth decay in the U.S. The mouth is the gateway to a person's overall health, and an unhealthy mouth can be linked to diabetes and even heart disease. In the U.S., oral disease causes kids to miss 51 million school hours and their parents to lose 25 million work hours annually. Additionally, oral disease disproportionately affects children from low-income families and these children have almost twice the number of decayed teeth that have not been treated by a dentist as compared to others in the general population.

To promote good oral health, CDA, along with 35 dental organizations formed the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives and collaborated with the nationally recognized Ad Council. The coalition is in the middle of a three-year advertising campaign, aimed at raising awareness about the value of good oral health for children. To learn more and to view a campaign toolkit, visit 2min2x.adcouncil.org.

For more information on World Oral Health Day, visit worldoralhealthday.org.