Question 1

Are the resources shown on the website free to use and can I share the link to this website with  others?

Accepted Answer

Please share the website with others who would find it useful. The included resources are free to use. Please download and adapt for your setting while acknowledging the contribution of those who originally developed them.

Question 2

Does this website provide any free toothbrushing supplies or staff training?

Accepted Answer

No, these are supplied by supervised toothbrushing programmes. For interested settings (schools, nurseries or childminders), please contact your local authority early years teams or oral health promotion team for further information.

Question 3

Do you have information for parents translated in other languages?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Families’ page has useful resources about children’s oral health. These include resources translated into different languages.

Question 4

When should children brush their teeth?

Accepted Answer

The timing should be last thing at night and at one other point in the day.

As part of a supervised toothbrushing programme, children should brush their teeth on a daily basis. The time of day will be decided by the setting (i.e. nursery, school or childminder) to fit in with the timetable and minimise disruption.

It is critical that taking part in a supervised toothbrushing programme is in addition to children brushing their teeth at home. Families should continue to brush their child’s teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

Encourage children not to rinse with water after brushing, but to spit out if needed. Rinsing with water after brushing washes the fluoride in the toothpaste away.

Question 5

How does the supervised toothbrushing session work?

Accepted Answer

Each session should take approximately 10 minutes. The children brush their teeth for 2 minutes under staff supervision. After brushing, they will be asked to spit out any excess toothpaste from their mouth into a paper towel.

Question 6

How are children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) supported?

Accepted Answer

Supervised toothbrushing programmes for children with SEND require tailored staff training and more support. For example, there are fluoride toothpastes available that are flavourless and do not foam which are useful for children with sensory sensitivities.

Question 7

Are supervised toothbrushing programmes recommended for younger children (2 years old and under)?

Accepted Answer

Supervised toothbrushing programmes are not usually run with children under the age of two years. Children of 2 years of age or younger need an adult to support them with toothbrushing. This is beyond the remit of supervised toothbrushing programmes.

Frequently Asked Questions