More than 6,000 nursery and school children in Bolton have received support with brushing their teeth and maintaining healthy mouths in a targeted effort to improve oral health outcomes.
Bolton’s supervised tooth brushing programme, which is delivered by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and commissioned by Bolton Council, has reached 80 schools and nurseries in the past year.
The health initiative helps children develop positive routines in a fun and supportive environment, while also helping to reduce health inequalities and improve oral health outcomes in communities where children may be at greater risk of tooth decay.
The figures have been released to mark National Smile Month (11 May – 11 June), with Bolton NHS Foundation Trust marking the awareness month reaffirming its commitment to improving oral health outcomes for children and families in Bolton.
Lorna Dibnah, Senior Oral Heath Practitioner at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“National Smile Month is a fantastic opportunity to highlight the importance of good oral health from an early age.
“By working closely with families, nurseries, schools and our public health partners, we are helping children across Bolton build healthy habits that can last a lifetime. We are incredibly proud of the positive engagement we have seen so far through both our early assessment contacts and the supervised tooth brushing programme.”
As part of a growing focus on prevention and early intervention, Public Health Nursing Teams and Family Hub Locality Practitioners now provide important advice and free toothbrushes and toothpaste to families during children’s early assessment appointments to help establish healthy habits from an early age.
The initiative aims to support parents and carers with simple but effective steps to reduce tooth decay and promote lifelong oral health.
Councillor Jackie Schofield, Executive Member for Public Health at Bolton Council said:
“Good oral hygiene in childhood is essential not only for healthy teeth and gums, but also children’s confidence, wellbeing, speech development, and overall health.
“Tooth decay remains one of the most common reasons for hospital admissions among young children, despite being largely preventable.
“Through education, early support and community partnership working, Bolton is taking positive action to help every child achieve a healthier smile.”
For more information on oral health support and services, visit Bolton Council’s local Family Hubs during National Smile Month.
Health practitioners will be hosting oral health focused ‘Chat, Play, and Read’ sessions, and our ‘Baby, Babble, and Bond’ groups will be giving out free toothbrush packs during ‘Top Tips for Teething and Teeth week.
