Oral Health Promoter
Our Oral Health Promoter (Harper the Tooth Fairy), works alongside the Health Visiting team providing advice and support to improve and maintain the little smiles of Medway. We aim to help reduce inequalities through the promotion of good oral hygiene as well as providing families with the knowledge to make ‘tooth-friendly’ food and drink choices.
Here at MCH, we promote Dental Check By One; visiting the dentist before your child’s first birthday.
We recommend:
- Registering your child at a dentist as soon as they are born- Helps to avoid delays when your child needs their first appointment.
- Take your child for their first visit to the dentist when they cut their first tooth- usually from 6 months of age.
- Ensure you take your child to the dentist for their check-up every 6 months.
Please remember to take along your child’s Red Book and Medway Smiles Passport to each dental visit.
Children that visit the dentist every 6 months from an early age become familiar with the environment and get to know the dental team; providing them with confidence to have their checkup. This will prevent your child from the possibility of developing early tooth decay.
Click the link to find a Dental Practice near you: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist
You can also call NHS England 03003112233. If your child has Dental Emergency please call 111
Services for Early Years
We provide services and support for Oral Health to the following groups below:
- Nurseries/Pre-schools
- Antenatal groups
- Postnatal groups
- Parent & Baby groups
- Home visits (Upon referral from your child’s Health Visitor)
You can access support through services at our Children Hubs and wellbeing centres. Use the following link, where you will find updates and information for our latest timetables: https://admissions.medway.gov.uk/Synergy/Medwaychildrenandfamilyhubs.aspx
Harper the Tooth Fairy visits Nurseries and Pre-schools; demonstrating the importance of Oral Health/Hygiene to children through the use of puppets, play and story telling. Early Years Practitioners can access support and resources within these sessions to ensure they are also delivering the key messages of Oral Health at the highest standard.
To organise a visit to your setting please email Lauren Truelove- Collins: lauren.truelove2@nhs.net.
Oral Health During Pregnancy
Gum disease is more prevalent in women who are pregnant due to the hormonal changes throughout pregnancy. You may notice your gums becoming sore/swollen and they bleed whilst brushing your teeth. Research shows that there is one-in-four chance that a pregnant woman with gum disease could give birth before 35 weeks. This is due to gum disease raising levels of the chemicals that bring on labour. It is therefore important to keep teeth and gums clean and visit the dentist regularly. The dentist can advise if they feel you need to see a hygienist for deep cleans to prevent the build of plaque and tartar on your teeth/gums which is what causes gum disease.
Remember women who are pregnant receive FREE NHS dental care up until their child’s first birthday. You will need to present your MatEx (Maternity Exemption Certificate) to access NHS dental care for FREE which you can usually get from your Midwife or GP.
Useful links
Contact us:
0300 123 3444
Youtube video
Introducing Harper the Tooth Fairy. HarVey Bears ‘go to’ for anything dental. Harper is available for visits to Early Years centres and Nurseries across Medway, spreading the fundamental knowledge about the importance of Oral Health in children. Harper sings educational ‘happy smiles songs’ and provides a pack of useful tools to help parents and Early Years practitioners make tooth brushing fun.
You can download our FREE toothbrushing chart and a Harper the Tooth Fairy certificate.
Listen to our toothbrush song here