Oral health for junior school age (7-11)

Key health professionals involved here:
  • School nurses
  • Teaching staff.
Looking after teeth and gums

Key messages:

  • Oral health is part of the national curriculum in Key Stage two (KS2) science, Relationships Education, Relationships and Sexual Education (RSE), and Health Education.

Linked resources:

Toothbrushing

Key messages:

  • Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste containing 1350-1500ppm fluoride.  Most ‘own brand’ supermarket toothpastes are suitable and more affordable
  • Brush all the surfaces of the teeth and gumline in small circles for around 2 minutes, twice a day - just before bedtime and at another time that fits in with your routine
  • Spit out the toothpaste and do not rinse!

Linked resources:

Diet: 

Key messages:

  • Reduce the amount and frequency of having foods and drinks that contain sugar, only give sweet foods including dried fruit at mealtimes
  • Squashes sweetened with sugar, fizzy drinks, soft drinks and juice drinks have no place in a child’s daily diet
  • Limit the amount of fruit juice and/or smoothies your child drinks to a maximum of 150 mls (one portion) in total per day and drink it with meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay
  • Always ask for sugar-free medicines

Linked resources:

Visiting the dentist:

Key Messages

  • Adults should have a regular check-up at the dentist at least once every 2 years, and children at least once a year
  • NHS dental treatment is free for children under 18 or under 19 and in qualifying full-time education
  • Some adults can also get free NHS dental treatment
  • Going to the dentist regularly helps the child become familiar with the dental environment, and enables the dentist to pick up on any problems as early as possible
  • The dentist can paint fluoride varnish on children’s teeth to protect them from tooth decay.  All children over 3 should have it applied at least twice a year, and it may also be used for younger children at high risk of tooth decay.  Parents/carers should ask their dentist about fluoride varnish

Linked resources:

  • Put your postcode into this website to find a dentist
  • Look here to find out who is entitled to free NHS dental treatment
  • Hounslow Oral Health Promotion Team  offer range of tailored educational oral health programmes and materials aimed for children, families, educational settings, and health professionals. Some of the programmes offered are:

     

  • ‘How to Brush’ supervised tooth brushing in schools and nurseries
  • Fluoride varnish school dental programme for children aged 4-7 years old
  • Parents and carers oral health and healthy eating workshops
  • SEN schools’ oral health parent/teacher workshops and ‘How to brush’ programme for children
  • Training all front-line staff working with children to be ‘Tooth Champions’ and providing them with tools and materials to enable them to spread the key oral health messages
  • Hounslow Zoom Meetings. For the next Hounslow Zoom events, please contact the OHP Team.
  • Contact Details:

    kendra.blinco@nhs.net
    amanpreet.sidhu@nhs.net

  • SEN Resources
There are many organisations offering information online, this is a selection that we have found useful.  

 

British Society for Disability and Oral Health

Oral Health Foundation: Dental Care for People with Special Needs

NHS UK: Dental Treatment for People with Special Needs

Documents

BSPD - Advice for parents of children with autismFiletype: Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format)Category: GeneralOwned by: CMS - CommunicationsBSPD - Advice for parents of children with autism

Oral Health Aids and Resources for Special Needs - Information for Parents and CarersFiletype: Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format)Category: General LeafletOwned by: CMS - CommunicationsOral Health Aids and Resources for Special Needs - Information for Parents and Carers

 

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