With childhood dental problems on the rise in the UK, one nursery in Portsmouth is hoping to buck this trend by teaching the children in attendance how to look after their teeth properly.
Children at Dysart Nursery in Drayton are being taught to brush their teeth after every meal to stop tooth decay from developing over time. Manager of the nursery, Amy Calloway, described this as a ‘new initiative’ that has been implemented to improve dental health of children in the area. She added that ‘Portsmouth is one of the worst places in England for levels of child tooth decay. All the children at the nursery get their own toothbrush and toothpaste to encourage them to brush their teeth more often.’
The nursery team use several teaching techniques to encourage children to brush their teeth out of school as well as between lessons; including brushing along to a special song to make the activity more like a game than a chore. Mrs Calloway was feeling positive about the initiative, adding that parents were also keen to get involved with their kids dental health, saying they have been ‘really supportive and really encouraged it.’ She also said that the kids were very enthusiastic about brushing; commenting that some pupils ‘are so keen to brush their teeth they ask to do it several times a day.’
