UK - Kids to benefit from oral health programme

More children are to benefit from a programme designed to improve their oral health.

The Scottish Government aims to offer every youngster across Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire access to the Childsmile initiative, which sees health chiefs working alongside local authorities.
Staff at nursery and primary schools provide daily, supervised toothbrushing, as well as dietary and oral hygiene advice. In deprived areas, children also receive two applications of fluoride varnish.

The Fairer Scotland Action Plan is committed to extending coverage of the programme to reach even more comparatively deprived communities. Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The Childsmile programme, with its emphasis on prevention rather than treatment, has resulted in significant improvements in children’s oral health across Scotland.
“Our aim is that every child has access to Childsmile. “Reducing inequalities in health is critical to achieving the Scottish Government’s aim of making Scotland a better, healthier place for everyone, no matter where they live, and the expansion of Childsmile, through our Fairer Scotland Action Plan, provides a good illustration of this in practice.”

Scotland’s Chief Dental Officer Margie Taylor is also backing the expansion of the Childsmile initiative. She said: “We are very proud of the Childsmile programme and the difference it is making to oral health for children across Scotland. “Fewer children are requiring treatments such as extractions, fillings and general anaesthetics.

“Picking up good habits at a young age means less tooth decay, which in turn means less toothache, fewer sleepless nights and less time off school. “In addition, these good habits will last a lifetime.”

According to the Childsmile team, youngsters should brush their teeth at least twice a day for at least two minutes.