Bolton children take part in fun toothbrushing sessions

The Healthy Families Team, part of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, is fighting tooth decay in the town by visiting schools and nurseries to show youngsters how to keep their teeth healthy through fun supervised brushing sessions.

It is Smile month, and as part of this the Healthy Families Team have visited local libraries to promote advice for good oral health.

The latest oral health survey of five-year-old children in 2022 found that 42.8 per cent of children aged five in Bolton had tooth decay, compared with 23.7 per cent in England.

Lorna Dibnah, Healthy Families Specialist (Oral Health Intervention) at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We believe that everybody deserves a healthy smile and a person’s oral health is a crucial part of their overall wellbeing.

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“Education is one of the greatest tools to preventing disease and conditions, such as tooth decay, which is why every year we reach thousands of children, school teachers, and parents to provide guidance and support on maintaining good oral health.”

The NHS trust has also issued tips for better oral health.

This includes brushing teeth for two minutes, last thing at night and one other time during the day with fluoride, make sure to spit rather than rinse, cut down on sugary food and drink intake and visit a dentist regularly.

For more information about the work taking place to improve the health and wellbeing of children and families, visit Bolton NHS Foundation Trust’s website.

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