The British Dental Association has welcomed moves by Labour to roll out supervised brushing programmes in breakfast clubs.

Historic modelling from Public Health England indicates targeted schemes could generate £3.06 in savings for every pound spent in the short to medium term owing to reduced treatment need.

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National programmes overseen by devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales have secured record breaking improvements in oral health, and elements have been adopted worldwide in countries ranging from Chile to Israel. While some English local authorities have financed schemes, the UK Government has failed to even take forward historic pledges to consult on rollout.

British Dental Association chair Eddie Crouch said: ‘Supervised brushing is a tried and tested policy, that the Government's own modelling shows pays for itself.

‘It's a scandal that decay remains the number one reason for hospital admissions among young children. Prevention isn't just better than cure it's cheaper too.'