A WATCHDOG is fighting tooth and nail to raise awareness of the importance of dental hygiene in young children after it published a shocking report.

Healthwatch Slough, in partnership with the Beehive Foundation, ran workshops to understand the oral hygiene of Roma children in Chalvey, and research published on Tuesday (8/12) revealed that less than 5% of those children owned a toothbrush.

The workshops, which ran during the summer, surveyed the children participating to find that only two of 42 owned a toothbrush and that the majority of them regularly consumed sugary drinks and snacks.

The findings back up more research by the watchdog that suggest a staggering 47% of children under five in Slough have either decayed, missing or filled teeth.

Nicola Strudley, Healthwatch locality manager for Slough and Wokingham, said: “The key fact is that dental hygiene is not just specific to the Roma community, it is across all groups in Slough.

“Nearly half of all five-year-olds have decayed, missing or filled teeth, and Slough Borough Council and GPs are very aware that oral hygiene is an issue in Slough.

“Over the last few years, we have recognised that cultural groups have a real taste for energy drinks and high calorific snacks.

“And because many of them do move around they are not registered to a GP or dentist and they only attend when they need emergency work.”

Children learnt about the importance of eating healthily during the workshops and were also shown the dangers of sugary drinks, as a two pence piece was placed in a glass of energy drink, and its effects compared with that of a glass of water.

Those children who did not have a toothbrush were provided one, along with toothpaste, and those with siblings were given additional brushes.

A recommendation has been sent to Slough Borough Council for a dental programme in schools to raise awareness.

Following the workshops, Healthwatch Slough has recommended a dental programme in schools to raise awareness of the importance of looking after teeth, which has been sent to Slough Borough Council and the Department of Education.

The group has also been in touch with Slough Business Partnership, recommending that business stop selling fizzy drinks to children.

Ms Strudley added: “Lots of children under the age of 12 can just walk into a supermarket or corner shop and pick up these energy drinks and there is an issue there.”

A statement from Slough Borough Council outlined plans to train staff in its family services, nurseries and schools. It said children from as young as nine-months-old are given a toothbrush and toothpaste.

The statement added: “Last year we bought sufficient toothbrushes and toothpaste to supply all our children’s centres and now all children from as young as nine-months-old automatically get these supplied free from these centres. Our health visitors also promote the toothbrushes as do our school nurses.”