Tooth brushing is on the curriculum for children at 23 of the island’s nurseries this year.

The scheme has been introduced in the wake of a survey by Public Health England, which showed 27.8 per cent of the island’s under fives had preventable tooth decay.

The Smile of Mann initiative follows a pilot project at six nurseries between September and December 2017 to test the feasibility of running a supervised brushing programme among nursery school children.

Feedback from staff and parents showed children enjoyed the activity and were receptive to simple messages about the benefits of daily tooth brushing.

Now, 23 nurseries are now to include tooth brushing as part of their daily activities. Youngsters will be encouraged to take part in supervised brushing sessions where trained staff will show them how to brush their teeth effectively with fluoride toothpaste on a dry toothbrush, and explain the importance of regular brushing.

Each child’s toothbrush with its own colour and symbol is kept in a hygienic case and will be replaced each term.

Director of Public Health Dr Henrietta Ewart said: ’As a population, we need to improve the dental health of our young people. Teaching pre-school children to brush their teeth is a simple and effective start, as habits formed at that age often stay with people for life. By introducing daily sessions in nurseries, children see tooth brushing as a fun activity and a normal part of their routine.’

The project supports a public health strategy to improve oral health among the island’s under-fives. A study by PHE concluded that brushing each day at school or nursery over a two-year period is effective for preventing tooth decay and helps establish life-long behaviour to improve oral health.

Dr Ewart added: ’It’s too early to say whether our pilot scheme has improved the oral health of those who took part but we saw a general improvement in children’s willingness to brush their teeth and their tooth brushing ability. Our staff and parents also learned from the programme.’

In a follow-up questionnaire about the pilot scheme, parents responded positively with comments such as: ’My daughter came home showing me what to do’,

’I’ve seen a marked difference in my son’s ability to brush his teeth properly’, and: ’I think it’s a great idea as it gets them into a routine, and it is no longer a chore at home.’

The scheme is voluntary but is open to all nurseries in the island.

Parents and carers must give consent for their children to participate.

Supervised tooth brushing is already part of national initiatives in Scotland as part of the Childsmile programme, and in Wales, which has its own Designed to Smile equivalent. Many local authorities in England also run similar programmes.