Oral Health

Date: 1st Jul 2022 @ 10:08am

Reception class have been learning about the importance of oral health. We spoke about the three main themes to good dental health – teeth brushing, keeping sugary food and drinks to meal times and visiting the dentist regularly.

The children practiced gently brush their teeth and gums for up to two minutes using a child-sized soft-bristled brush and a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Adults at home should help their child to brush their teeth up to at least the age of 7, but letting their child brush their own teeth for a short while will give good practice. Adults should also encourage their child to brush their teeth twice a day – once after breakfast and the other before bed time.

If using a manual brush, we make gentle circular or back-and-forth motions. Some children said they use an electric toothbrush – simply place the toothbrush head around the tooth without a brushing motion. We spoke about fun ways to brush our teeth, for instance using a timer, or download an app on a smart phone or tablet – two minute fun teeth brushing timer videos.

When finished brushing, have your child spit out the excess toothpaste or wipe it from their mouth instead of rinsing. Rinsing washes away the protective fluoride that strengthens the enamel.

Routine check up with the dentist should be done every 6 months. The dentists came to school to check how well the children have been brushing and received a sticker after a check up. If your child is not registered with a dentist surgery, you can phone your local surgery as they will be taking on minors.