Children in Rochdale and Middleton between the ages of five and seven are taking part in a new scheme designed to reduce tooth decay in the next generation; every day they will take a break from lessons to brush their teeth and learn about good oral hygiene.
The project was set up to follow the example of similar schemes in Scotland that proved to be very successful. The ‘Smile Time’ programmes is being rolled out to seven primary schools in the Rochdale area and could be extended across the entire borough if it leads to a drop in tooth decay. This part of Manchester was chosen because it has high levels of deprivation and one of the worst rates of tooth decay among children in the whole country.
Dr Rebecca Craven, of NHD Heywood, Middleton, and Rochdale, said that ‘Good oral health is vital – and it’s important that youngsters never forget the importance of looking after their teeth, mouth, and gums. I’d urge all parents involved to support the programme which will make a real difference to their children’s oral health.’
Oral health manager at Pennine Care, Andrew Forrest, explained that ‘With support and supplies from our oral health specialists, school teachers will supervise children aged five to seven brushing their own teeth once during the school day. Children in the Rochdale borough have some of the highest rates of tooth decay in the country so we want to reverse this trend and ensure our children have happy, healthy, smiles.’