Promoting good oral health

Why is oral health important?

Teaching children healthy practices is one of the most important things we can do. Giving them the skills and understanding needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle helps them to be become healthy, confident and successful individuals. Below you will find lots of ideas to share with your child and work together towards a healthy smile :) 

The bigger picture

Whilst exploring the reality of tooth decay among young people in England can be difficult reading, it is important that we all review and learn from past mistakes in order to work together towards a better future.

Although oral health is improving in England, the oral health survey of 5 year olds in 2017 showed that just under a quarter have tooth decay (PHE National Dental Epidemiology Programme for England, 2017). Each child with tooth decay will have on average 3 to 4 teeth affected. For those children at risk, tooth decay starts early. The first survey of 3 year olds in 2014 found that 12% had visible tooth decay, with on average 3 teeth affected. Almost 9 out of 10 hospital tooth extractions among children aged 0 to 5 years are due to preventable tooth decay and tooth extraction is still the most common hospital procedure in 6 to 10 year olds, according to PHE data up to 2019. Tooth decay can cause problems with eating, sleeping, communication and socialising, and results in at least 60,000 days being missed from school during the year for hospital extractions alone.

Brush Your Teeth Song sung to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Brush, brush, brush your teeth,

Brush the germs away!

Happy, healthy teeth you'll have,

By brushing everyday!

Floss, floss, floss your teeth,

Floss the germs away.

Happy, healthy gums you'll have,

By flossing every day!

Healthy Teeth Song sung to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Eat, Eat healthy foods

Eat some every day

If you do, "I Love You"

is what your teeth would say!

Brush, brush, brush your teeth.

Brush them every day!

Brush the fronts and brush the backs

And clean your teeth will stay!

Visit, Visit, Visit the dentist,

two times every year!

The dentist helps your teeth stay healthy

So you can smile from ear to ear!

Book Suggestions 

Harry and the dinosaurs say 'Rahhh' by Ian Whybrow

Going to the Dentist (First Experiences with Biff, Chip and Kipper) by Roderick Hunt

Going to the Dentist (Usborne First Experiences) by Anne Cirvardi

Topsy and Tim go to the dentist by Jean Adamson

Brush Your Teeth, Please by Leslie McGuire