Nursery children on the Isle of Man will be taught how to brush their teeth – as part of a new campaign to encourage them to keep them healthy.

Public Health is launching the Smile of Mann project – showing children the right way to clean their teeth.

23 nurseries will include the activity – encouraging them to carry out the process at nursery.

It follows a successful pilot project at six nurseries between September and December 2017 to test the feasibility of running a supervised brushing programme among young children in a nursery setting.

Feedback from staff and parents showed that children enjoyed the activity and were receptive to simple messages about the benefits of daily tooth brushing.

27.8 per cent of five year olds on the Island have experienced tooth decay – despite it being preventable.

Director of Public Health Dr Henrietta Ewart says: “As a population we need to improve the dental health of our young people.

“Teaching pre-school children to brush their teeth is a simple and effective start, as habits formed at that age often stay with people for life.

“By introducing daily sessions in nurseries, children see tooth brushing as a fun activity and a normal part of their routine.”