Oral health in early years settings
This theme will support settings to raise awareness of good oral health and support children and families to practice this while at home.
Oral health is an important part of every child's wellbeing. It impacts on the ability for children to eat and sleep, to socialise with confidence and to concentrate at school.
If you pledge, this is what you are committing to do
- Have a 'tooth friendly' food and snack policy, limiting sugary snacks and providing water and milk in preference to sugary and acidic drinks.
- Train staff to give consistent oral health messages to children and their families.
- Promote national smile week.
- Commit to engaging and working with external partner and agencies.
Training and resources
You can access the training and resources below to support you in promoting good oral health in their setting, and to support you in achieving the pledge.
Training
Durham County Council Tooth brushing Train the Trainer Scheme
This course aims to enhance knowledge and skills regarding oral health and enables practitioners to cascade to the wider workforce in their setting. The training enables practitioners to demonstrate and embed good tooth brushing, encouraging children to brush their teeth from a young age and supports home brushing.
For more information on how to access a place please Contact early years
Healthy Child Programme online training - Dental Health Promotion (free)
This course aims to enhance knowledge and skills regarding oral health and factors that predispose to poor oral health. Promoting oral health in the infant and young child forms an integral part of this session.
For more information go to e-Learning for Healthcare: Healthy child programme
Children's oral health advice
This elearning programme provides information and advice about children's oral health. It is aimed at parents, expectant mothers, early years healthcare workers, teachers, nurses, GPs and the public
For more information go to e-Learning for Healthcare: Children's oral health
Resources
- NHS: Looking after your baby's teeth
- Gov.uk: Delivering better oral health
- NHS: Children's teeth
- Gov.uk: Health matters - child dental health
- Oral health foundation: Children's teeth
- NHS: About Better Health
- Public Health England: Science lesson PowerPoint – Keeping our teeth healthy
- National Smile Month 2022
- National Smile Month Activities
- National Smile Month Free Downloads
- NDNA: Oral health in early years
- Email eywfd@durham.gov.uk
- Telephone 03000 268 917