Schools Encouraged To Improve Pupils Oral Health

It is now being suggested that nurseries and schools should help dentists in Manchester city centre and other parts of the UK by running tooth-brushing schemes to help support oral hygiene in children and tackle problems like gum disease and tooth decay.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has now published guidance for local authorities, health boards, frontline practitioners, health directors and commissioners to help in this regard, stating that supervised tooth-brushing and fluoride varnishing campaigns should be implemented for areas where young people are at risk of poor oral health.

Director of the Centre for Public Health at NICE professor Mike Kelly remarked: “The situation is bleak for many adults as well as children in disadvantaged areas. Diet, poor oral hygiene, smoking, alcohol, and a lack of understanding about oral health are causing tooth decay, gum disease, tooth loss and increasing the risk of mouth cancers.”

Top tips from the organisation for tooth-brushing is to make sure you use a fluoride toothpaste, brush for at least two minutes and don’t rinse your mouth out.

If you need to encourage your children to brush their teeth better, consider downloading one of the many oral hygiene apps out there for your smartphone or tablet. The free Disney Magic Timer app from Oral-B is designed to make brushing fun, with 16 characters from Disney and Marvel on hand to help get kids brushing for longer. They can collect digital stickers and track their progress with milestone badgers and stars on the Brushing Calendar.