Schools will help children develop good dental habits (Image: Getty)
Children will be supervised while brushing their teeth in and nurseries in an £11million scheme to combat tooth decay. The nationwide programme will target hundreds of thousands of children each year in the most deprived areas of England. It is hoped the rollout will save the millions of pounds, with every £1 spent expected to save £3 in avoided treatment costs.
More than 49,000 children and teenagers were admitted to for tooth extractions in the financial year to 2024. Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “It is shocking that a third of five-year-olds in the most deprived areas have experience of tooth decay – something we know can have a lifelong impact on their health.
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“It’s why we’re delivering supervised toothbrushing to young children and families who are most in need of support as part of our wider plans to revive the oral health of the nation.
“This includes providing 23 million free toothbrushes and toothpastes through our partnership with Colgate-Palmolive to reach up to 600,000 children each year.”
Figures show a quarter of five-year-olds have experienced tooth decay in England, rising to a third in more deprived areas.
The moves welcomed by Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, who said: “It’s rare to find something to smile about in dentistry these days.“But supervised tooth brushing is tried and tested policy that will save children from pain and our NHS a fortune.
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“The only concern is why it’s taken a century to get here. Ministers need to go further and faster.”
Supervised tooth brushing is already in operation at some schools and the funding will be available from April for more to offer it.
Jason Wong, chief dental officer for England, said: “Tooth brushing twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste remains one of the best defences against tooth decay and a long list of preventable oral health issues.
“This is why we’re thrilled that the government is working with the NHS to expand access to pivotal supervised toothbrushing programmes in schools.
“Having strong healthy teeth can have a hugely positive impact on a child’s life.”