Childsmile Toothbrushing

The Childsmile Toothbrushing Programme is available throughout Scotland.

The supervised Toothbrushing Programme adheres to national standards and the products are provided through a national contract to ensure consistency across health boards.

The toothbrushing component of the programme is offered to at least:

  • two-year-old children receiving free places at nursery
  • every three and four-year-old child attending nursery
  • at least 20% of P1 and P2 classes of schools situated in areas with the highest level of need.

The Childsmile Toothbrushing Programme aims to help children develop an important life skill at an early age. Ensuring the provision of at least 1000ppm fluoride toothpaste at home, and in nursery and school, means we can support a positive development in their immediate social and physical environment.

A child brushing teeth at nursery

All nurseries 

DHSW supervising toothbrushing

Targeted primary schools 

Every child is provided with a dental pack containing a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste containing at least 1000ppm fluoride, and oral health messages on at least six occasions by five years of age. Children also receive a free-flow feeder cup in the first year of life. These are distributed in different ways in each NHS Board area.

Toothbrushing pack

Free flow cup