Children’s teeth to be varnished at supermarket

In a bid to improve dental health among children, the Department of Health is launching a new initiative to offer free fluoride varnishing to under-18s in supermarkets.

Under the pilot project a dental nurse will be on hand at a west London branch of Asda to offer the treatment, which helps to remineralise tooth enamel and prevent decay, Dentistry.co.uk reports.

The website says the Hounslow branch was singled out as the area has a higher than average level of child tooth decay but if successful the scheme could be rolled out in other areas.

Health minister Ann Keen said the pilot project, developed with Asda, Hounslow Primary Care Trust and the British Dental Association, was about prevention and improving access to oral health services for hard-to-reach families.

“It is about change and innovation and I am always looking for new ways for people to access healthcare within the community,” she told Dentistry.co.uk.

Meanwhile health secretary Alan Johnson is calling on the NHS to consider fluoridating tap water in areas with poor dental health.

He claims adding fluoride to drinking water is an “effective and relatively easy way” to give all children a dental health boost.