Nursery World - Three-quarters of teachers hold toothbrushing sessions

Most primary school teachers are running tooth brushing sessions every morning, because children tell them they don’t regularly brush their teeth at home.

The findings come from an online survey commissioned by Childcare.co.uk, which received 2,369 responses from UK primary teachers.

The survey also found that 95 per cent of respondents are buying resources including toothpaste, toothbrushes and even sanitary products out of their own money for their pupils.

One in 20 of respondents said they had reported suspected cases of neglect to local authorities during their careers.

When asked why they stepped in to help children with basic care needs, a third (34 per cent) said it was because they worked at a school in a deprived or very deprived area, while a tenth (11 per cent) said it was due to neglect at home.

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