Supervised Toothbrushing Programme

What is supervised toothbrushing and how can it help?

Children aged 3-5 years are encouraged to brush their teeth every day with supervision from staff in the early years setting.

Supervised Toothbrushing helps children to have healthy teeth by:

• Teaching children how to brush their teeth
• Making toothbrushing normal and fun by brushing as a group
• Protecting teeth from decay by using fluoride toothpaste
• Encouraging children to brush their teeth at home

Children brush for two minutes every day, using a method called ‘dry brushing’ with fluoride toothpaste, and with guidance and supervision from staff.  Dry brushing means no water is used during brushing and children do not rinse with water. After brushing, children spit any remaining toothpaste into a clean tissue, which is then thrown away. This method helps fluoride stay on the teeth for longer and gives extra protection against tooth decay.

Each child is given their own toothbrush that is clearly labelled and stored in a toothbrush rack to keep it clean and separated from other brushes.

All toothpastes used in the supervised toothbrushing programme are mint flavoured, do not contain any animal products, and are gluten free.