New initiative aims to encourage Blackpool tots to clean their teeth
A new initiative, which aims to encourage tots in Blackpool to brush their teeth, is being rolled out across the town. The new scheme, which is part of a £12,000 oral health project, is designed to teach nursery school children to clean their teeth properly.
The supervised brushing scheme is part of the Blackpool Better Start programme. Merle Davies director of Blackpool’s Centre for Early Child Development, said that the programme will involve around 3,000 children from nurseries and child minder settings across the town. The aim is to provide young children with the knowledge and skills they need to be able to clean their teeth properly. Rates of decay are high in the area, and children will be able to develop skills, which will stand them in good stead later in life.
The brushing scheme is part of a wider initiative, which is targeting young children in the seaside town, and providing them with a brighter, healthier start in life. The programme is aiming to teach young children aged between 0 and 5 years olds about preventative health measures using fun and informative classes related to issues like healthy eating.
Research shows that children who brush with fluoride toothpaste at least once a day have a significantly lower risk of developing decay than those who don’t brush daily. By running supervised schemes, nursery nurses, teachers and child minders can make sure that children are brushing at least once a day, and hopefully, they’ll foster good habits and brush again when they get home.
Statistics show that rates of decay in Blackpool are higher than the national average with 40 percent of 5-year-olds displaying signs of decay.
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