September NHS dentistry and oral health update

This month's NHS dentistry and oral health update from Jason Wong, Chief Dental Officer for England has a special focus edition on supervised toothbrushing.

This proven, evidence-based intervention helps 3 to 5 year olds in early years settings develop positive brushing habits and has recently received backing through a national government programme. Launched in collaboration with Colgate-Palmolive, the scheme provides free toothbrushes, toothpaste and educational materials in the most deprived areas in England, enabling families to continue the good work at home.

Since the programme was announced, earlier this year, we are pleased to report that over two million free toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes have been delivered  

Results of the Oral health survey of 5 year old school children 2024 showed that 26.9% of children had some form of dental decay, while those living in the most deprived areas of England were more than twice as likely to experience dentinal decay as those living in the least deprived areas. Poor oral health impacts children and their families, affecting a child's ability to eat, smile and socialise, whilst causing pain, infection and missed days of school for the child, alongside missed working days for parents or carers in attending dental services to receive care. While tooth decay is the most common oral disease affecting children and young people in England, it is still largely preventable.

Toothbrushing twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste remains one of the best defences against tooth decay and a long list of preventable oral health issues. The OCDO are therefore delighted that the government is working with local councils and the NHS to expand access to pivotal supervised toothbrushing programmes in schools.

We would like to thank Sam Watt, Zoe Marshman, Peter Day and Kara Gray-Burrows for their continued hard work with the roll out of supervised toothbrushing programmes and for contributing to this special focus bulletin. We are delighted to welcome Zoe and Peter to our next CDO webinar on 24 September. Keep reading for more details and how to register.

Finally, I would like to thank all colleagues working across dentistry and oral health for your continued hard work and diligence in providing care to our patients.

Jason Wong

Chief Dental Officer for England

Read the full September NHS dentistry and oral health update