Nursery World - An A to Z of Enhancements: O is for Oral Health

Learning about the importance of toothbrushing can be enhanced through play and activities, explains Amy Jackson

The children make sure the baby dolls in the home corner have clean teeth

Promoting the good oral health of children is a safeguarding and welfare requirement of the revised EYFS statutory framework.

Government surveys have shown that a concerning number of children have tooth decay by the time they are five, and Great Yarmouth – where our nursery is situated – is an area that has above national average levels. For these reasons, we decided to think of ways to interweave promoting good oral health into our practice in valuable and meaningful ways.

As well as adult-led activities and discussions to help to emphasise the importance of good oral health, visiting the dentist and effective toothbrushing routines, we also added some enhancements to our environment to reinforce the messages that we are teaching the children. These oral health enhancements enable children to apply what they have learnt into their independent play, which helps to embed their learning more deeply.

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