Isle of Wight dentists to tour nurseries and schools to improve children’s oral health
Dentists in the Isle of Wight are planning to visit nurseries and schools in a bid to improve standards of oral health among children.
The team from The Mall Dental Practice in Newport is working with NHS England as part of a pilot project, which is designed to encourage better habits and reduce rates of decay. As part of the scheme, the dental team will be paying children a visit to provide dental checks. The team will also be on hand to provide children with brushing tips and advice about healthy eating and each child will receive a goody bag. The team, which consists of dentist, Naomi Portelli and therapists, Liz Young and Olivia Young, is particularly keen to promote the government’s latest Sugar Smart campaign. The campaign is designed to encourage parents and children to reduce sugar consumption, most notably through healthier snacking.
Dental therapist, Liz Young, said that children are ending up in hospital requiring treatment under general anaesthetic and this is largely due to their diets and a reluctance for parents to take their children for regular check-ups. Visiting schools and nurseries is a way of ensuring children get the treatment they need, but also a means of showing kids that going to the dentist isn’t anything they need to be scared or worried about.
The NHS is hoping to ensure that schemes like this one enable as many children as possible visit a dentist from the age of 12 months old.
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