Project to improve children's oral health expands

School children in Willaston take part in the tooth brushing programme

A project to improve children's oral hygiene on the Isle of Man has been extended for a further 18 months.

It comes after a survey found more children on the island have issues with their teeth than their counterparts in the UK.

The Smile of Mann scheme involves daily tooth brushing for five-year-olds in primary schools and early years settings, and twice-yearly fluoride varnishing.

Now the project, which is part of Public Health's Oral Health Strategy for children 2021-2026, has been expanded to include children of from reception to year six ages.

While the project was initially funded on a temporary basis, the Cabinet Office has invested £286,674 to tackle the issue.

That figure included the cost of hiring four additional staff members to assist with the programme.

Among the services available, a spokeswoman said there would be more resources available for new parents during weaning and baby teeth care, which will be delivered through community health visitors.

And 12-year-olds will now be included in an island-wide dental survey, which previously focussed only on five-year-olds, on alternate years.

Children at Willaston Primary School have been taking part in the scheme

Public Health's Ross Keat said: "The oral health of five-year-olds is poorer than in England and there is no evidence to indicate that things are currently getting any better".

Continuing the scheme meant they were able to "address the issue at the root," he added.

Willaston School is one of 15 Manx primaries to take part in the scheme.

Teacher Abbie Irving said the children have embraced the new routine

Teacher Abbie Irving said the children had enjoyed the introduction of supervised brushing as part of their daily timetable.

She said: "It's a really fun little activity. It's been really positive."

It had also been beneficial for parents who had previously struggled to get their children to regularly clean their teeth, she said.

The programme was inspired by a similar scheme in Scotland called Childsmile, which also offered fluoride varnishing.

While it is being recommended and is not compulsory, the Cabinet Office minister David Ashford said he hoped parents would take it up.

"Study after study has shown that this protective measure actually has a huge effect on children's oral health as they grow up," he said.