Tooth-brushing programme for under fives planned

North Yorkshire Council said the programme would work to cut causes of decay

A supervised tooth-brushing programme aimed at cutting cases of decay in children under the age of five is set to be introduced.

North Yorkshire Council wants to commission a provider to run the five-year oral health promotion service at a cost of £225,000.

The scheme would be run in early years settings, such as nurseries and pre-schools, in areas where tooth decay among children is said to be most prevalent.

Catherine Baker, the authority's public health manager, said: "Childhood determines long-term health, and the state of a child's oral health is the best predictor of their oral health as adults."

In a report to councillors, Ms Baker said: "The service will aim to improve the oral health of North Yorkshire's under-five population through a daily supervised tooth-brushing programme in areas of greatest need.

"As a minimum this would involve maintaining the existing level of provision to targeted early years settings and special schools."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service the provider would also be asked to help staff working in adult and children's services to promote good oral health to vulnerable adults.

Ms Baker added: "When children are not healthy, this affects their ability to learn, thrive and develop."

According to the report, the most prevalent oral disease amongst children and young people in England is tooth decay.

In a 2023-24 survey of five-year-olds in England, more than a quarter of children were found to have enamel or dentinal decay.

Children living in the most deprived areas of the country were more than twice as likely to have experienced dentinal decay as those living in the least deprived areas.

In North Yorkshire, the five-to-nine-year-old age group makes up the highest proportion of hospital admissions for tooth extraction.

The teeth-brushing programme is due to be discussed by the council's director of public health, in consultation with the executive member for health and adult services, on Wednesday.

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