The government and Colgate-Palmolive have joined forces for a mission to “transform children’s oral health”.
In what Colgate-Palmolive called “a groundbreaking partnership”, the supplier will make “a substantial contribution” to the Supervised Toothbrushing Scheme announced today by the Department of Health & Social Care.
The initiative will run in nurseries and primary schools throughout England’s most deprived areas, designed to protect children from tooth decay and educate them about good oral health. It was expected to reach up to 600,000 young children each year and instil “positive brushing habits at school and home”, said Colgate-Palmolive.
The personal care giant plans to donate more than 23 million toothbrushes and toothpastes to the Supervised Toothbrushing Scheme over the next five years, along with educational materials from its global ‘Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures’ programme, which has run since 1991.
The UK’s new scheme came in response to “worrying figures around children’s oral health”, said Colgate-Palmolive. “Currently, treatment for decayed teeth leads as the primary cause of hospital admissions for children aged five to nine, with shocking figures revealing that one in four five-year-olds suffer from tooth decay in England, with even higher rates of one in three in the most deprived areas.”
The supplier believed “every child deserves the chance to have a healthier smile and brighter future”, said chairman, president & CEO Noel Wallace. “We’re thrilled that Colgate and our team in the UK have been chosen to partner with the government to help improve children’s oral health across the country. It’s an incredibly important initiative given the current levels of tooth decay in children.”
The Supervised Toothbrushing Scheme would “be able to make a real impact in preventing tooth decay and ensuring brighter futures for generations to come”, Wallace added. “We want all children, regardless of needs or circumstances, to be fully equipped with the information and tools they need to keep improving their oral health every day.”
Health minister Stephen Kinnock said: “It is shocking that a third of five-year-olds in the most deprived areas have experience of tooth decay – something we know can have a lifelong impact on their health.
“It’s why we’re delivering supervised toothbrushing to 600,000 young children and families who are most in need of support as part of our wider plans to revive the oral health of the nation, and we’re pleased to have Colgate on board to help deliver on our ambition.”
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