A theatre group which produces theatre in education for children, promoting physical and dental awareness, has staged the play Karius and Bactus for the first time in the UK.

According to Little Troll Productions the story of Karius and Bactus is famous in many countries around the world — from Iceland to Israel. It has been used successfully for over 30 years to raise awareness among young children about the food they put in their mouths and about looking after their teeth properly.

The play takes the children on an emotional rollercoaster with two little germs called Karius and Bactus (named after caries and bacteria), who live inside a tooth cavity in the mouth of a little boy called Jack. To begin with Jack doesn't take care of his teeth and eats a lot of sweets, so Karius and Bactus thrive and dig deeper and deeper holes there, planning to move into Jack's mouth with their extended families.

Later, when Jack's toothache becomes unbearable, he goes with his mum to the dentist who fills in Jack's cavities and destroys Karius and Bactus' homes. Since the little characters have no cavities to hide in anymore, they finally get caught by the toothbrush and end up being washed down the plughole.

The play throws a vivid light onto what happens if children don't look after their diet and teeth. It appeals to the emotional intelligence of children, and so has become a classic to children all over the world.

Children understand that even if they like the little germs, they would nevertheless hate to have them as visitors in their mouths, and this message can be used by teachers and parents after seeing the play to teach children in detail which foods are good for them and how important it is to look after their teeth to ensure good dental health.

The play is aimed at children aged 4-7 that may have started to use a toothbrush on their own and therefore are at a suitable age to start learning about looking after their teeth.

Little Troll Productions has staged Karius and Bactus in theatres in London, and also performs in schools. The show takes 35 minutes in performance and at the end the children are given a goody bag with dental hygiene material, a toothbrush donated by Molar, a sticker and a professional leaflet about brushing their teeth. The group is also looking for a company who can donate toothpaste.

For more information visit www.littletrollproductions.com , telephone 020 7254 2571 or email info@littletrollproductions.com.