Latest news with #SmileofMann
BBC News
19-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Isle of Man children's tooth decay issues tackled through schools
A scheme to encourage five-year-olds to brush their teeth twice a day has been expanded to more age groups on the Isle of Man in a bid to tackle the growing issue of tooth decay. A survey by the Public Health Directorate found youngsters on the island were experiencing more dental problems than the worst areas of the UK. In response the Manx government has offered its Smile of Mann scheme to more age groups in primary schools, and included optional fluoride varnishing twice a government said it aimed to have all 32 of the island's primary schools signed up to the initiative in time. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
14-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Manx project to improve children's oral health expands in schools
A project to improve children's oral hygiene on the Isle of Man has been extended for a further 18 comes after a survey found more children on the island have issues with their teeth than their counterparts in the Smile of Mann scheme involves daily tooth brushing for five-year-olds in primary schools and early years settings, and twice-yearly fluoride varnishing. Now the project, which is part of Public Health's Oral Health Strategy for children 2021-2026, has been expanded to include children of from reception to year six ages. While the project was initially funded on a temporary basis, the Cabinet Office has invested £286,674 to tackle the figure included the cost of hiring four additional staff members to assist with the the services available, a spokeswoman said there would be more resources available for new parents during weaning and baby teeth care, which will be delivered through community health visitors. And 12-year-olds will now be included in an island-wide dental survey, which previously focussed only on five-year-olds, on alternate years. Public Health's Ross Keat said: "The oral health of five-year-olds is poorer than in England and there is no evidence to indicate that things are currently getting any better".Continuing the scheme meant they were able to "address the issue at the root," he School is one of 15 Manx primaries to take part in the scheme. Teacher Abbie Irving said the children had enjoyed the introduction of supervised brushing as part of their daily timetable. She said: "It's a really fun little activity. It's been really positive."It had also been beneficial for parents who had previously struggled to get their children to regularly clean their teeth, she programme was inspired by a similar scheme in Scotland called Childsmile, which also offered fluoride varnishing. While it is being recommended and is not compulsory, the Cabinet Office minister David Ashford said he hoped parents would take it up."Study after study has shown that this protective measure actually has a huge effect on children's oral health as they grow up," he said. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
27-01-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Manx children's oral health worse than UK, report finds
More children on the Isle of Man have issues with their teeth than their counterparts in the UK, a report has found. The Children's Oral Health Report was put together by the island's Public Health analysed oral health data from Reception and Year 1 children, along with a separate survey of five-year-olds. It found that 26.6% of children aged five had experienced decayed, missing, or filled teeth, which was about 3% more than the 23.7% recorded for those in the UK. The island also had "a significantly higher level of incisor decay than other areas of England", the report follows the first 12 months of the Smile of Mann programme, which is part of Public Health's Oral Health Strategy for children 2021-2026. 'Burden on families' A government spokeswoman said the scheme included supervised tooth brushing in early education settings, which had been expanded "to include primary schools and specialist provision centres".She said: "Plans are now in place to further enhance the programme by offering fluoride varnish applications for all primary school children."The programme was based on the successful Childsmile scheme in Scotland that saw a 62% reduction in spokeswoman said: "This could prevent approximately 130 children going on to develop tooth decay every year, reducing the burden on families and health services."It would also reduce the number of children needing a general anaesthetic for removing teeth, she report said oral health in Manx youngsters did "not appear to be improving", and further work was "absolutely necessary to prevent worsening oral health for children".Public Health's Ross Keat said: "The recent expansion of the Smile of Mann programme is a key step forward, and we are actively exploring additional ways to improve oral health."An expanded preventative programme will lower the need for children to have treatment with a dentist."Dental issues brought with them "associated loss of confidence, infection, disrupted sleeping and eating, and absences at school", he added.
