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The national toothbrushing programme for under-5s — and what it means if your child isn't in it

A third of five-year-olds in England's most deprived areas already have tooth decay — here's what the national toothbrushing programme is doing about it, and what parents can do at home.

A government-funded supervised toothbrushing programme is now reaching up to 600,000 children aged three to five across England, delivered through nurseries and primary schools in the areas with the highest rates of childhood tooth decay. It is a response to a genuinely stark statistic: roughly a third of five-year-olds in the most deprived parts of England already have experience of tooth decay before they have even started school.

What the programme actually does

Early years settings and primary schools in eligible areas run short, supervised brushing sessions during the school day, using fluoride toothpaste supplied free through a partnership between the Department of Health and Social Care and Colgate-Palmolive. Over 4 million toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste have been delivered so far, funded through 147 local authorities across England, including areas here in the West Midlands. The idea is simple: build the habit of twice-daily brushing with fluoride before it has a chance not to form.

Why it starts this young

Baby teeth matter more than their short lifespan suggests. Decay in primary teeth can mean pain, infection, and extractions in children too young to properly understand why, and it affects eating, speech development and sleep in the meantime. It can also damage the permanent teeth forming underneath. Just as importantly, the habits formed at three and four tend to stick: children who brush properly and regularly at that age are far more likely to keep doing it as adults.

What to do if your child is not in the programme

  • Supervise brushing until your child can tie their own shoelaces. It is the rule of thumb dentists use, because the fine motor control needed for effective brushing tends to arrive around the same time.
  • Use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste, and spit rather than rinse afterwards, so the fluoride keeps working on the teeth.
  • Brush twice a day, for two minutes, without exception: last thing at night and one other time.
  • Book their first dental visit by their first birthday, or as soon as their first tooth appears, whichever comes first. Early visits get children used to the chair before there is ever a problem to fix.
  • Make it a routine, not a battle. A timer, a song, or brushing alongside a parent all help more than they might expect.

Whether or not your child's nursery is part of the national scheme, the underlying advice is the same, and it works. If you are not sure when your child should have their first check-up, or you would like a hand building the habit, we are glad to see families at No51 Dentistry. Get in touch and we will take it from there.