Our public health and early years policies, including Hall 4, Better Health Better Care, Equally Well and The Early Years Framework, all outline the commitment to improve the oral health of infants and young children.
Childsmile is a national programme designed to improve the oral and general health of children in Scotland and reduce inequalities.
Visit the Childsmile website.
First Teeth, Healthy Teeth is a practical guide for health visitors/public health nurses and others to provide clear, up-to-date information about oral health to parents and care givers.
Download a copy of the guide.
Oral health inequalities in the early years
Children's first teeth have a crucial role in supporting good nutrition, speech development and dental health.
Children from the most deprived areas suffer disproportionately from tooth decay, with a linear gradient across society.
Resources and interventions are available to promote dental health in the early years.
How do inequalities impact on children's oral health in Scotland?
Identifying those at risk of poor dental health
The Childsmile programme
For a fuller discussion, please see Inequalities in the early years.
Activity in this area is consistent with commitments and priorities detailed in the Early Years Framework and the National Parenting Strategy, Equally Well, Achieving our Potential, a range of NHS Scotland's Quality Indicators, maintenance of the 2010 Health Improvement, Efficiency, Access, Treatment (HEAT) target nine for child oral health and is relevant to Scotland's national practice model for child-centred services - Getting it Right for Every Child (all external links).
There is a strong link between living in a deprivation (poverty) and poor oral health in children right across society.
The National Dental Inspection Programme collects reports on the dental health of children in Scotland in Primary 1 (5 year olds) and Primary 7 (11 year olds). It categorises results using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintiles, where quintile 1 represents the most deprived areas and quintile 5 the least deprived.
In 2012, quintiles 2,3,4 and 5 continued to meet the 2010 HEAT target of 60 per cent of children having no obvious experience of decay, while for children in the most deprived fifth of areas the figure was 50.5 per cent. (NDIP Report (external link)).
In 2012, in ten out of 14of Scotland's regional health boards, overall rates of registration with an NHS dentist were lowest in the most deprived areas (ISD Scotland: Registrations and Participation analysis in NHS General Dental Service (external link)).
Among groups classed as low service users in the early years (across all services and including dental health services), low socioeconomic status was the most significant association with low service use.
Other factors included:
families with mothers who had lower educational qualifications
who were in routine or semi-routine occupations or who had never worked
who worked part time or were not in employment.
Having a child with a long-standing illness or disability was also associated with low service use (Growing up in Scotland: Parental service use and informal networks in the early years (external link)).
Although children living in the most deprived areas of Scotland have a higher prevalence of dental decay, in 2012 over a third of all children in Scotland in primary 1 had some obvious decay experience (National Dental Inspection Programme Report (external link)).
It is important therefore that all parents and carers are made aware of good oral health practices and that they and their children register with and visit their dentist regularly.
For specific advice for various workforce groups, please see How can I help address inequalities and support oral health?
The national Childsmile programme was created in response to Scotland's poor record in dental health and inequalities in dental health.
The universal 'core' programme is for all children in Scotland and consists of:
a free toothbrush, 1000ppm fluoride toothpaste and information leaflet delivered on at least six occasions by age 5
a free-flow feeder cup delivered by age 1
free, daily, supervised toothbrushing in all nursery schools
twice-yearly fluoride varnishes delivered at dental practices from age 2.
Further interventions are targeted at children living in areas of higher deprivation. These include twice-yearly fluoride varnishes delivered in nurseries and schools and enhanced support for vulnerable families via dental practices and dental health support workers.
Read more about Childsmile (external link).
How can I help address inequalities and support oral health?
Childsmile
A government-funded programme designed to help parents and care givers improve the oral health of children.
Childsmile Nursery or School
Children will be offered flouride varnish twice a year by the Childsmile dental teams.
Curriculum for Excellence and oral health
Supported by the Childsmile programme, the Curriculum for Excellence works to improve children's oral health from nursery age onwards.
Dental attendance for children
All children are entitled to free NHS dental care.
Importance of nutrition on good oral health in early years
Why oral health is important from the outset.
Key messages for practitioners and the early years workforce
The most important messages that early years workers must pass on to parents and carers regarding oral healthcare.
Nutrition and drinks for infants
The importance of supporting oral health in children through good nutritional messages.
Nutrition and good oral health
Find out how good nutrition and a healthy start can help to lay the groundwork for good oral health throughout childhood.
Scotland's National Dental Inspection Programme survey
An essential source of information for tracking the changes in the dental health of Scottish Children
Information about First Teeth Healthy Teeth and Childsmile, two programmes designed to help professionals deliver effective oral healthcare.
The importance of first teeth
The reasons why first teeth are important in a child's development.
The Personal Child Health Record 0-3
Designed to aid health practitioners and parents with the child's health
The role of the early years workforce in promoting oral health
Dental services, health practitioners and the early years workforce are responsible for the oral health of Scotland's children.
A brief outline of the causes of tooth decay, and advice on preventative measures.
An Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland (Scottish Executive, 2005) [444KB]
A response to the Children's Oral Health Consultation and Moderning NHS Dental Services in Scotland
A Cochrane systematic review on fluoride varnish 2008 [33KB]
A review of dental research into flouride varnish, and recommendations for its use with children.
British Dental Association
The British Dental Association (BDA) is the professional association and trade union for dentists in the United Kingdom.
British Dental Health Foundation
Information for the public and professionals, with access to promotional material for National Smile Week.
Childsmile - programme manuals for professionals [1.6MB]
The programme manual has been written for all professionals involved with Childsmile. It outlines the background, aims and objectives, explains the four parts of Childsmile, as well as fissure sealant and fluoride varnish information.
Childsmile briefing sheets [161KB]
Briefing sheets for early years workers.
Childsmile tooth brushing DVD for professionals
This DVD is available free to pre-school, primary school and other childcare settings. It shows how to set up a toothbrushing programme wherever childcare is provided and outlines the help and support Childsmile can offer.
First Teeth, Healthy Teeth: A guide for health professionals, parents and carers (NHS Health Scotland, 2010) [2.7MB]
A guide to oral health care for infants and young children.
Oral health and nutritional guidance for professionals
The guidance, published by NHS Health Scotland aims to provide agreed, consistent, evidence-based advice for improving both oral health and general nutrition for the whole population, with a particular focus of under-fives.
Prevention and management of dental decay in the pre-school child: A national clinical guidelineSIGN 83 [1.1MB]
This guideline from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) addresses effective strategies for preventing and managing dental decay in preschool children.
Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP)
This programme supports dental teams throughout Scotland by providing guidance developed by the profession for the profession.
Directory of NHS dentists
A directory of NHS dentists in Scotland. For help finding an NHS dentist you can also call the NHS Helpline on 0800 224488.