The County Health Partnerships Oral Health Promotion Team (part of Nottinghamshire Healthcare) has developed an initiative called 'Teeth Tools for Schools', a dynamic teaching resource for primary schools in an area where just under a half of all 5-year-olds have at least one decayed, missing or filled baby tooth (compared to just over a third in England).

Teeth Tools for Schools is an oral health resource for teaching staff working with children aged 3 to 11, created to support planned educational activities and raise the importance of oral health. The pack contains detailed information on the basics of oral health; easy to follow lesson plans; interactive activities for children to explore and gain knowledge; ideas to involves individuals, classes and whole school approaches; and promotional materials for use with children and parents.

All primary schools in Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire and Bassetlaw have received their own copy of the Teeth Tools for Schools pack.

Oral Health Promotion coordinator Julia Wilkinson, who once appeared on the cover of the BDA's dental team publication, Vital, wielding a giant toothbrush, contacted the BDJ about Teeth Tools for Schools hoping to inspire other regions of the UK to adopt similar initiatives. 'The feedback has been excellent,' said Julia. 'We can now proudly say that all our schools and teachers are sharing the consistent oral health messages and they are doing so with fun, interactive sessions that link to the National Curriculum.'

Teeth Tools for Schools joins Nottinghamshire Healthcare's well established City Smiles and Incredible Mouths programmes, which promote key oral health messages through partnership working with health visitors, midwives and school health teams.