Childsmile Programme To Be Rolled Out Across Scotland

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The Scottish Health Minister, Michael Matheson, has confirmed that the Childsmile programme has been expanded across Scotland.

The £15 million programme is designed to educate children about oral health and encourage them to look after their teeth and gums by providing schoolchildren with dental kits, which include a toothbrush, toothpaste and oral hygiene leaflets. Each child involved in the scheme should receive at least six packs by the time they reach the age of five years old.

The Childsmile initiative is aimed at young children and every health board in Scotland is now delivering the programme through nursery and primary schools. Recently, the programme was also expanded to allow health officials to contact all families with newborn babies to provide information about the Childsmile programme and offer advice about registering with local NHS dental practices.

In addition to oral hygiene information, Childsmile also aims to educate parents about healthy eating in order to try and reduce the amount of cases of decay caused by eating sweet foods and drinking fizzy drinks.

Mr Matheson visited Knightswood Dental Practice in Glasgow yesterday to see how the Childsmile programme is benefiting local children and the practice is one of 900 surgeries in Scotland participating in the scheme. Mr Matheson said that the Childsmile programme was “ambitious” but effective. He also confirmed that all aspects of the programme had been rolled out to the entire country. Targeting young children will help them to develop good habits, which they will take into adulthood and this will help to reduce the rates of oral health diseases and cut the cost of dental care in the future.

 

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