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Teeth cleaning to be taught in nurseries and schools

(73 Posts)
Mollygo Fri 07-Mar-25 21:23:09

there children=their children

Mollygo Fri 07-Mar-25 21:21:00

Most importantly, teaching parents how to teach their children how to brush their teeth, and how to supervise them while they do it.
We’ve done teeth care sessions in school for ages, but if it’s not supervised at home, the value of that is limited.
Reading posts on here, not everyone knows the correct way to brush, so presumably, some parents will need instruction.
Telling their parents is likely to mean less supervision not more, (Now you know how to do it, so get on with it.)

The only time I’ve found parents responding to being told what to do by there children was during our smoking is dangerous topics.
That certainly brought parents into school, ranting about it not being our place to teach children to tell their parents what is right, or telling us that ^smoking helps me have a good cough to clear my catarrh in the morning!

ayse Fri 07-Mar-25 20:54:04

Allira

kittylester

The children I saw on the tv were being taught incorrectly.

Yes, they were scrubbing away but incorrectly!

Perhaps, rather than leaving this to over-pressurised teachers, there needs to be a national campaign.

As well, of course, persuading more dentists to work for the NHS by offering better contracts.

👏🏻👏🏻

Allira Fri 07-Mar-25 20:31:13

kittylester

The children I saw on the tv were being taught incorrectly.

Yes, they were scrubbing away but incorrectly!

Perhaps, rather than leaving this to over-pressurised teachers, there needs to be a national campaign.

As well, of course, persuading more dentists to work for the NHS by offering better contracts.

Letskeepcalm Fri 07-Mar-25 20:12:44

Yep

Deedaa Fri 07-Mar-25 20:02:31

Knowing what some children are like when you try to teach them to do something "properly" it's probably a good idea to have them taught at school. Then they can go home and lecture their parents, which they always enjoy, and hopefully some of the lessons will stick.

I remember I had to have several teeth out when the school dentist came round when I was five. I'd never been to a dentist so the whole thing was terrifying. My mother hadn't got much idea about looking after my teeth, but not all bad teeth are down to neglect. My daughter has always taken care of hers and spends a lot of money, but she has constant problems with them and multiple root canals.

merlotgran Fri 07-Mar-25 19:55:56

Why is it costing £11 million?

kittylester Fri 07-Mar-25 19:55:34

Louisa they were going sideways rather than gum down.

Madmeg Fri 07-Mar-25 19:50:47

But my primary school had visits from the nurse who checked our teeth and declared mine "beautiful". In fact, they were utter crap!

Letskeepcalm Fri 07-Mar-25 19:47:19

God knows!

LOUISA1523 Fri 07-Mar-25 19:46:10

kittylester

The children I saw on the tv were being taught incorrectly.

Can you explain why please

ayse Fri 07-Mar-25 19:44:31

I remember when all state primary schools had a nurse and there were school dentists. Health visitors who looked at child welfare, welfare clinics etc. The clinics were not just for people on state benefits.

Whilst costly it certainly looked after the health of UK children.

I’ve no objections to paying towards the health of the younger generation. Reintroduce school milk, orange juice and cod liver oil!

Smileless2012 Fri 07-Mar-25 19:43:07

Toilet training in schools and now children to be taught how to clean their teeth!!! What will be next?

kittylester Fri 07-Mar-25 19:40:54

The children I saw on the tv were being taught incorrectly.

Letskeepcalm Fri 07-Mar-25 19:35:52

Lazy parenting is the cause

Ilovecheese Fri 07-Mar-25 19:15:49

More NHS dentists and shorter working hours for parents. Higher wages and lower healthy food prices. Less stressful lives altogether for parents so that had more time to parent.

Mollygo Fri 07-Mar-25 19:10:23

Ilovecheese

Oh yes, do let's take money away from parents, that will really help their children.

Well not doing it isn’t helping their children is it.
What incentive would you use to make parents accept the responsibility for their children’s dental health?

Compulsory training classes for parents who don’t know how to teach their children to brush their teeth?

Ilovecheese Fri 07-Mar-25 19:03:40

Oh yes, do let's take money away from parents, that will really help their children.

Mollygo Fri 07-Mar-25 18:59:57

A mixture of those things.
Poor diet, regardless of poverty is likely to be a major factor.
Dentists say (on the news tonight) that supervised tooth brushing is the best way to avoid tooth decay.
So that puts the solution, and equally the blame for not doing it firmly in the hands of parents
Maybe fining parents whose children’s teeth have not been cared for would be successful and fund the new initiative.

Grandmabatty Fri 07-Mar-25 18:58:32

My children were 'taught' by school 30 odd years ago, my dgs1 was 'taught' at nursery last year. I have no issues with schools ensuring that children know what to do, especially if parents don't. I don't think they should take over brushing teeth every day though. That's up to the parents

Madmeg Fri 07-Mar-25 18:48:34

All the above I guess. I have poor teeth due mainly to them being very bent, despite wearing a brace in my teens for 3+ years following removal of several teeth due to overcrowding. Sadly they all went back to their original bent positions once the brace was removed. This made it difficult to clean in the spaces between them, but back then nobody mentioned the need to pay attention to the spaces, concentrating mainly on the appearance from the front.

As a result I have a mouthful of fillings, have experienced gum soreness and infections, and four other teeth virtually fell out overnight (two on the same night!). Since oral radiotherapy last year another two bit the dust, right at the front. Dismayed I learnt that all those adverts for implants/caps etc don't apply to me cos I have also lost a lot of bone density in the jaw area. The best they can do is have a removeable plate which is currently being made. The NHS don't cover the cost so its £500.

Despite good intentions I doubt if many parents even today realise that cleaning all the gaps and crevaces (sp?) is more important than cleaning the front surface, and massaging of gums equally important.

It is only a few years ago that we were told not to clean immediately after eating, and not to rinse after brushing. And to use flouride toothpaste and mouthwashes. I also have to pay for expensive toothpaste with tons of added flouride that is only available privately.

teabagwoman Fri 07-Mar-25 18:46:48

All I f the above I think and perhaps the increased amounts of sugar being added to our food by manufacturers. Do you remember the school dentist?

Cabbie21 Fri 07-Mar-25 18:36:44

On today’s news we hear that some young children are to be taught how to clean their teeth in schools and nurseries.
Those children I saw on TV taking part seemed to have healthy teeth, but I was shocked to see pictures of other young children’s teeth- much decayed by the age of five. So intervention will save the NHS money as dental work is apparently the most common reason for young children being in hospital.
How has it come to this?
Is it lack of availability of NHS dentists, even for children? Or the failure of parents to introduce teeth cleaning at home?
Or poverty leading to poor diet? Or some other reason?