Nursery aged children should get toothbrushing lessons

Simona · 23-10-2014, 01:08 PM

**tess1981** · 23-10-2014, 01:28 PM

I have only heard this mentioned and not read the link bit surely parents should be teaching them? Or am I wrong

**Mouse** · 23-10-2014, 01:31 PM

When I was at junior high school we had a dentist on site. We used to get called to see them every 6 months and any treatment would be carried out there & then. Even at primary school we had the dentist come in to give check ups.

It's like so many things - dentist, school nurse, nit nurse. They've all gone now and we're seeing the consequences.

I don't think nursery staff should be responsible for brushing the kids' teeth, but I do think it would benefit them all if regular check ups were carried out in schools.

**tess1981** · 23-10-2014, 01:42 PM

This is why I think thongs should go back to the way they used to be about 20 years ago. Moat of us adults are functional without all the new polices and stuff they in force now

**rickysmiths** · 23-10-2014, 03:29 PM

We have a Dental Crisis now because:

1. Parents allow too many sweet treats all the time.

2. Young children drink juice and fizzy drinks too young.

3. Children have too much processed food and not enough seasonal fresh fruit and veg.

4. We seem to have an obsession with getting children drinking less milk by a year old. Why? My adult children still drink milk in preference to a sugary fizzy drink.

5. Dentists, even NHS Dentists charge far too much money. I had a half crown done a couple of months ago on the NHS and it was just over £200!

It is th parents responsibility to teach their children to clean their teeth and for dental hygiene. EY carers should not give sugary drinks between meals or sugary snacks. Fruit should also be limited to meal times and dried fruit should not be given at all.

Yes they would prevent a lot and reduce overall costs if they went back to:

1. Midwife and Health Visitor visiting every new mothers home for 10 days as soon as they have have come out of hospital.

2. Had school nurses to do basic eye tests, check for nits, and keep and overall check on children's health including checking on dental health once a term.

3. Made sure NHS dental Health was always available to anyone who wants to use it and reduce the cost to the user.

**Maza** · 23-10-2014, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by tess1981

This is why I think thongs should go back to the way they used to be about 20 years ago. Moat of us adults are functional without all the new polices and stuff they in force now

'thongs'?!!!!

**Maza** · 23-10-2014, 04:24 PM

Well I did some supply teaching in a nursery last week and I was supervising the three and four year olds washing their hands before lunch. It was an eye opener, let me tell you. Not one of the children 'washed' their hands properly - they had clearly never been taught how to. My two year old mindees all know to wash the backs of their hands and in between the fingers because that's what I have taught them and assumed that everyone working with EY would teach their children.

**Mouse** · 23-10-2014, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Maza

'thongs'?!!!!

*snigger*

**loocyloo** · 23-10-2014, 04:27 PM

My dd had to have a filling at about age 2 .. She barely had sweets/dried fruit and never fizzy drinks ... only water or milk ... dentist said that lots of children were needing fillings due to eating fruit! He would rather children ate plain crisps and crackers!
Luckily she hasn't had a problem with any other teeth.

**Koala** · 23-10-2014, 05:10 PM

I totally agree fruit is just as bad as sweets, fizzy drinks etc.... I was mortified when my sons primary school were giving children fruit at play times (to promote a healthy eating policy)

ignorance is bliss

but it is no excuse!!! even surestart groups, childrens centres (not sure what they call themselves now) promote a snack time and provide fruit!! Why??

There is no need for snack time - eating at regular mealtimes should suffice, I accept everyone's circumstances are different but to promote eating of any kind in between meals Promotes bad eating habits and poor dental hygiene. Water or milk to drink helps save our little white gnashes.

But getting back to OP - Parents need to be responsible for their own children, their health, their behavior etc... etc... If it's taken away from them, how are the next generation going to grow up? in a society that allows them to not be responsible for themselves?? and it's then every one elses problem.

**bunyip** · 23-10-2014, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by Maza

'thongs'?!!!!

Some of us might've got into one 20 years ago! (....and I'm going to pee my pants if anyone posts that they are "needing a filling"

).

This reminds me of a dental health session held at our local children's centre. The qualified dental hygienist was running late, so the health visitor whose sprog-weighing session had just finished stayed on and gave a little talk about getting the tinies to brush their teggy-pegs after meals and eat lots of fruit, etc. When the hygienist arrived, he had to correct everything the HV had said. Brushing too soon after meals only serves to scrub away the enamel and, as mentioned, fruit isn't all that great for teeth either. What hope for us, let alone parents, if HVs are giving out duff dental advice?

I'm glad CMs are a bit more scientifically-minded than the general population when it comes to realising that fruit-sugar is, in fact, actually a .......er........ sugar. I'm amazed at how many middle-class mums gladly gorge their little poppets on fruit whilst sneering at the council estate mums for letting theirs have the odd sweet or 3. It's pretty obvious that fruit is sweet or the little blighters wouldn't be going at those diddy boxes of otherwise unattractive raisins like it was some form of crack-cocaine for the under-fives.

**hectors house** · 23-10-2014, 09:29 PM

I used to take my children (my own and mindees) with me when I went to Dentist for check up and often the Dentist would look at my own children's teeth and let everyone have a ride up and down in the chair. Whenever I drive or walk past my dentist now I ask the children if they go to the Dentist to show him/her their teeth and they all say "No" - I don't think any of my current children aged 2 and 3 visit the Dentist - I tend to go on my day off as my lugging a buggy up 2 flights of stairs days are over, but obviously they don't go with their parents either. What age do they start going?

Children always clean teeth at my house after lunch, but sometimes parents arrive saying "can they clean their teeth here as they refused to do them at home!

**tess1981** · 23-10-2014, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by Maza

'thongs'?!!!!

Oooops my bad

lol

**bunyip** · 24-10-2014, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by tess1981

Oooops my bad

lol

Not as bad as the "what I did on my holidays" assignment I wrote at school.

It should have read, "I enjoyed going to the arcade and putting my pennies in the slot machines."

The teacher had me write out "pennies" 100 times, until I could remember to spell it with 2 "n"s and 2 "e"s.

Simona · 24-10-2014, 08:21 AM

I am thinking along the lines of the 2 Year Old Progress Check
Although in principle it is a good idea we know how reports are received varies from LA to LA...we will have to wait and see if in future when Health and Education work together if anything will change

How about the HV includes a nutrition and general questions to parents on what the child eats and recommendations for healthy teeth when the check takes place? in other words give parents some encouragement on improving parenting skills?

I feel that this time we are being asked to do a parent's job...we can encourage brushing all we like but if it is not done at home ...and if the children are fed inappropriate food...then we are losing a battle....this is all to do with the Home learning Environment...we are aware of this but some parents are not.
If I were a parent I would be insulted that someone else needs to teach my child how to brush teeth

I think parents must take responsibility over this and we can support and share strategies but I cannot imagine schools lining children up for teeth brushing??

It appears to me the chickens are coming home to roost...services have been cut over a period of time and now the NHS is left to pick up the pieces

**Koala** · 24-10-2014, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by Simona

I feel that this time we are being asked to do a parent's job...we can encourage brushing all we like but if it is not done at home ...and if the children are fed inappropriate food...then we are losing a battle....this is all to do with the Home learning Environment...we are aware of this but some parents are not.
If I were a parent I would be insulted that someone else needs to teach my child how to brush teeth

I think parents must take responsibility over this and we can support and share strategies but I cannot imagine schools lining children up for teeth brushing??

Totally agree!!! As a childcare practitioner and as a parent.

**FussyElmo** · 24-10-2014, 09:23 AM

I don't know if its changed around here but nhs dentists wouldn't accept children under the 2 as they just didn't have the dentists to deal with amount of people.

**shortstuff** · 24-10-2014, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by bunyip

Not as bad as the "what I did on my holidays" assignment I wrote at school.

It should have read, "I enjoyed going to the arcade and putting my pennies in the slot machines."

The teacher had me write out "pennies" 100 times, until I could remember to spell it with 2 "n"s and 2 "e"s.

Took me a minute but just what i needed thanks :-)

**jadavi** · 24-10-2014, 11:56 AM

Milk or water between meals is what was recommended on a recent healthy eating course.

**clareelizabeth1** · 24-10-2014, 12:39 PM

I tried to take my DS to dentist when he was 18 months he had teeth so I felt he should get the checked. The dentist laughed and said to wait till he had a set then come back in a year. Even then they won't have their own appointment but will just flash their teeth at the dentist at my appointment.