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Original poster

Nurseries to supervise children brushing teeth.

141 replies

AnyoneForTardis · 22/10/2014 18:26

sorry if this has been discussed, cant find a thread anywhere about it.

heard on news this morn.

children with bad oral hygiene, so nurseries are being asked to have some sort of teeth brushing lessons type thing.

Is this the nanny state again releieving yet more responsibility for the people (parents) who are supposed to be doing this?

why nurseries?

its basic logic and common sense for a parent to teach/help their young'un to clean their teeth, isn't it?

OP posts:
SirChenjin · 22/10/2014 20:02

They've done this up here in Scotland for years - I didn't realise they didn't in other parts of the UK. Seems to work fine. Fact is, there are parents who don't take responsibility, and still believe that oral health is not important because baby teeth fall out anyway Sad Angry. They teach the importance of physical, mental and emotional health, why not oral health? A good idea, imo.

Gileswithachainsaw · 22/10/2014 20:03

It's got nothing to do with "I'm alright jack" and everything to do with the fact that the answer to these problems appears to be taking it off the parents hands.

Where the hell do you think that leaves kids when they move to different nurseries or its holidays??

Jasonandyawegunorts · 22/10/2014 20:04

The same place they are currently.

Gileswithachainsaw · 22/10/2014 20:05

Or worse off because parents can't cope with dealing with it all again. They get used to the extra time and money they had as a result of it being down to other people

UriGeller · 22/10/2014 20:07

Maybe it'd be a bit more beneficial to children's health if nurseries didn't give fruit snacks and sweet puddings at lunchtime. Then the kids wouldn't need to be brushing their teeth in the middle of the day. A good rinse with water afterwards would suffice.

HappySunflower · 22/10/2014 20:08

My daughter's nursery already does this.
Children's' dental records are significantly better in that area than in other areas where it isn't done. Far less children have dental decay.

I think it is fantastic!

Jasonandyawegunorts · 22/10/2014 20:09

Okay but they didn't bother before, so there is no change, apart from the child have knowledge he wouldnt have.

tippytappywriter · 22/10/2014 20:11

It is so sad isn't it that some children just don't get the basics at home. Don't have an answer to it but thank my lucky stars my parents always instilled the basics.

Gileswithachainsaw · 22/10/2014 20:12

Unless then did do it before and got into "oh I don't need to now as nursery will do it" then realised they could have extra time in bed if They didn't have to worry about it. Then just never got round to replacing their toothbrushes when the ds dropped it down the toilet.....

Jasonandyawegunorts · 22/10/2014 20:18

Yes unless they are that stupid... And let face it they would only be that stupid if they were a fictional family created for propaganda reasons.

Gileswithachainsaw · 22/10/2014 20:21

There is always someone that stupid.

Thankfully most people aren't but i still think it sends the wrong message. I don't believe taking over is the answer. Something needs to be done about the individual cases.

Jasonandyawegunorts · 22/10/2014 20:26

I agree, bot only with this, but all the similar stuff. But they are not doing that and probably never will. As it is this does help the children.

rollonthesummer · 22/10/2014 20:26

I'm amazed so many people here think it's a good idea! When would you like it to stop? End of year 2? Year 6? Year 11? What about university or work?

What else would you like schools to do?

Spooklingbrook · 22/10/2014 20:32

I think it's a good idea to introduce v young children to correct toothbrushing. Our local dentists had children in in groups and did a workshop. Young children can often be receptive to adults that are not their parents IYKWIM.

It doesn't need to be ongoing and by Year 6 they should definitely know what they are doing and if they are at University or work I guess they will be ok. Grin

Gileswithachainsaw · 22/10/2014 20:32

It just makes no sense when there are more expectations from one person in charge of than parents of one or two children.

No one pulls the parents up on nits or not brushing teeth or feeding properly yet nurseries and schools are ripped apart for anything and everything.

Gileswithachainsaw · 22/10/2014 20:34

They get hold of the kids at 3/4/5 yet somehow it's all their fault.

Parents are exonerated from responsibilities and are free to blame the one set of people who bothered to take care of year children

rollonthesummer · 22/10/2014 20:35

It doesn't need to be ongoing

That isn't what the article is suggesting though.

Spooklingbrook · 22/10/2014 20:37

If the child's teeth all fall out because they are rotten nobody would blame the nursery-the responsibility still lies with the parents/guardians.

Ongoing is a bit bonkers. How many times do they need to be shown?

WidowWadman · 22/10/2014 20:41

My kids have been brushing their teeth in nursery from a very young age, I thought it's pretty normal and nothing new to be introduced? I'm in Yorkshire.

clam · 22/10/2014 20:44

The suggestion isn't that they're just "shown" how to do it (which is what happens during "Ourselves" topics anyway), but that the schools hold tooth-brushing sessions each day, I gather?

Which part of the current curriculum is it suggested gives way for the amount of time it will take for 30 children to be supervised properly brushing their teeth? 2 minutes per brushing, but they can't all do it at once. How is hygiene assured in the storage of all the tooth brushes? If there are any schools already doing this, how do you manage it?

rollonthesummer · 22/10/2014 20:46

Ongoing is a bit bonkers. How many times do they need to be shown?

It isn't about being shown, the article is suggesting it's done at school. Have a read of the article.

RabbitSaysWoof · 22/10/2014 20:53

I think they should knock the obsessive fruit shoveling on the head if they want to be of help to Britain's milk teeth.
A former dental nurse I work with told me teeth remineralize 3 times a day so sweet food following a meal is better than a sweet snack, another friend said her dentist told her this too.
The dc I nanny are given fruit as snacks morning and afternoon in school as well as pudding after school lunch.

PuffinsAreFicticious · 22/10/2014 22:46

Can't see a problem. I did this with mindees over 5 years ago, nurseries have been doing it for over 20 years near where I used to live.

There are a fair few dentists who won't take on children unless their parents get check ups, and a fair few parents can't afford the check ups. Installing good oral hygiene between school and home can only be a good thing.

Nothing to do with a nanny state at all!

clam · 22/10/2014 23:05

Can't see a problem? Cleaning the teeth of a few mindees is a very different thing from a classful of Reception/Yr1/2 ++.

BuckskinnedAstronaut · 22/10/2014 23:12

Has anyone linked to the proposal?

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