Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH) Oral Health Promotion Team are a dedicated team who specialise in the care and support of oral health for children and their families.

Despite being a preventable disease, dental decay remains the top reason for hospital non-emergency admissions for 5–9-year-olds across the boroughs with many children having teeth extracted under a general anaesthesia. Poor oral health may also result in poor general health as well as:

• Oral infection and discomfort/pain.
• Difficulty eating, sleeping, talking, and socialising due to pain.
• Absence from nursery due to sleepless nights caused by toothache or by visits to the dentist for treatment

The following support is available:

• Oral Health training to Staff in Early Years, Children Centres, and Schools (face to face or virtual)
• Visits to Stay and Play groups at Children Centres where information and resources are shared with families
• Parents sessions (face to face or virtual) 
• Attend coffee mornings at schools to promote oral health messages
• Provide resources to improve oral health in your setting 
• Offer various support in promoting oral health if you have chosen Oral Health for your HEYL Silver/Gold award project

For further information, please contact 

Fiona – f.flynn3@nhs.net

Rachael – Rachael.crosbie@nhs.net

A  Sugar Smart Early Year’s Setting and School is one that takes positive, proactive action against high sugar consumption and raises awareness of the consequences of having too much sugar; for children this includes tooth decay, excess weight, and even type 2 diabetes.

If you have not already signed up to the Sugar Smart Barnet campaign, this is a great time to get involved and pledge to become a Sugar Smart setting. You can sign up on the Sugar Smart website. When you sign up, you will be presented with a list exciting Sugar Smart actions/activities that you can choose for your setting to take part in and record activity for. There is a wealth of national and local support and resources to support your early year’s setting efforts. To explore what is available, please visit the Sugar Smart Barnet website (local) and the Sugar Smart website (national).

This oral health promotion service links in with Children Centres, families, and pupils at Barnet Primary Schools to provide FREE advice to parents around dental health and oral hygiene.

The service includes:

• Supervised tooth brushing programme in classroom activities to help facilitate tooth brushing skills.
• Children will be offered ‘Brushing for Life’ packs distributed with a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste and an information pack for families

For information on the Healthy Child Programme 4 Barnet service

• Email: hcp.4barnet@nhs.net
• Tel: 020 3633 4049 / 0800 772 3110

Prevention is the best way of keeping your mouth healthy.  The Oral Health team of professionals are here to help and support families in Barnet regarding oral health. See the attached flyer to see how they can help: Barnet_OH_newsletter