Healthy Smile Team

23/04/2026

Did you know that today is Shakespeare Day 2026? The Healthy Smile Team would like to remind you of the wisdom in daily habits.

To brush, or not to brush? The answer is clear, brush your teeth last thing at night and one other time in the day. Use a fluoride toothpaste (one that contains 1450ppm of fluoride for maximum protection) to keep your smile shining and don't forget to spit out after brushing, don't rinse!

22/04/2026

A very special (and slightly emotional) goodbye as we celebrated Kate’s retirement as Consultant in Dental Public Health, over a lovely meal together.

It gave us the perfect opportunity to thank her for everything she’s contributed over the years, her impact has been huge and she’ll be greatly missed.

Wishing her a happy, relaxing and well-deserved retirement filled with all the things she loves 💛

22/04/2026

A big thank you to the Mouth Care Leads from Tunstall Hall Care Centre in Market Drayton and The Sandford Nursing Home in Church Stretton for joining Caroline in Shropshire last week for the Care to Smile update training.

Care to Smile supports improved mouth care for residents across residential and nursing homes in Staffordshire, Stoke‑on‑Trent, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, helping to ensure everyone receives the dignity and comfort they deserve.

21/04/2026

Start the week smiling! Brushing twice a day is just the start of good oral health. Small steps like avoiding sugary snacks, not rinsing after brushing, and regular dental visits can help protect little smiles. 😃

16/04/2026

✨🦷 Congratulations and a huge THANK YOU to our amazing early years settings who recently aced their Brilliant Brushers supervised toothbrushing quality assurance visits!

It was wonderful to see so many happy, healthy smiles shining bright 😁💫

Keep brushing, keep smiling, and keep sparkling! 🌟

Staffordshire:
🪥Grange Primary School
🪥Horninglow Primary School
🪥St Chads CE Primary School
🪥St Elizabeths CE Primary School
🪥St Josephs CE Primary School
🪥St Mary’s Catholic Primary School
🪥Willows Primary School

Stoke-on-Trent:
🪥Nurtured @ Packmoor
🪥St Wilfrid’s Catholic Academy
🪥Abbeyhill Special School
🪥Alexandra Infants School
🪥Eaton Park
🪥Field House Nursery
🪥ILM Day Nursery
🪥Jack in the Box Meir
🪥Jackfield Infants School
🪥Kemball Special School
🪥Rosy Cheeks @ Little Sandon
🪥St Maria Goretti Catholic Academy
🪥The Crescent Academy
🪥The Crescent Preschool Nursery Ltd
🪥Tiny Toez @ Westfield

Shropshire:
🪥 Crowmoor Primary
🪥 Greenacres Primary School
🪥 Martin Wilson Primary
🪥 Mount Pleasant Primary School

Telford & Wrekin:
🪥 Captain Webb Primary School
🪥 Chipmunks Day Nursery
🪥 Wrekin View Primary School and Nursery

🦷✨ The Brilliant Brushers supervised toothbrushing programme is an evidence-based initiative helping little ones build healthy toothbrushing habits for life.

We’re proud to be able offer this programme to eligible day nurseries and schools across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin, creating brighter smiles and healthier futures every day 😁🌟

14/04/2026

Congratulations to all the care homes that have successfully completed their Care to Smile follow ups, whether it’s the 6–8 week, 3–6 month, or annual quality assurance visit. Your dedication to improving and maintaining residents’ oral health in line with NICE Guidance 48: Oral health for adults in care homes, is truly commendable.

Smiles all round to the following Care Homes:
Staffordshire:
💫 The Manor House Nursing Home
💫 Ernvale House Care Centre
💫 Wheaton Aston Court Nursing & Residential
💫 Meadowyrthe Care Home
💫 Rosevilla Residential Home

Shropshire:
💫 Cliffdale Residential Care Home
💫 Cheswardine Hall Nursing & Residential Care Home
💫 Weston House Care Home
💫 Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home
💫 High Lea House

Telford & Wrekin:
💫 Bennett House Care Home

We are proud to support Care Homes across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin on their journey to providing safe, effective and personalised mouth care. Thank you for your continued commitment to making smiles brighter and healthier! 🦷👏

07/04/2026

🐣 🌺 Egg-cellent Easter Top Tips 🌺 🐣

Let’s celebrate sweet smiles over the Easter holiday.

🍽️ Try to have your Easter treats at mealtimes!

🪥 Brush your teeth last thing at night and one other time in the day for at least 2 minutes. Use a fluoride toothpaste (one that contains 1450ppm of fluoride for maximum protection)

⏰ Wait at least 30 minutes after eating your Easter eggs before brushing your teeth

💤 Make sure you don’t have your Easter treats 1 hour before bedtime

📚 Swap the eggs for Easter books, toys or activities

🎁 If you or your children have too many Easter treats, think about donating them to local supermarkets who can give them to children who don’t have any.

07/04/2026

⏰ This is your 3-month reminder that over time your toothbrush bristles will become splayed, worn out and will lose their effectiveness, making it harder to clean your teeth properly. New bristles are nice and straight so more effective at removing plaque and keeping your smile bright! 🪥

Don’t wait until your toothbrush looks worn out, remember to change it every 3 months. Your teeth and gums will thank you!

🦷Fun fact: The average person spends about 38.5 days brushing their teeth over a lifetime! That’s a lot of time invested in your smile, make it count with the right habits.

02/04/2026

🌼🐰Happy Easter from the Healthy Smile Team!🐰🌼

Wishing everyone a bright, joyful, fun filled Easter!
While you’re enjoying your treats, don’t forget to keep your smiles shining. 😁✨

To help make brushing extra fun this weekend, check out this brilliant rabbit toothbrushing song, it’s perfect for little ones (and grownups too!):
👉 https://youtu.be/MQsu7OqvR6s?si=6VjvmYUplCLsjrM0

Hop to it, have a giggle, and brush along with the bunny! 🐇🦷
Stay happy, stay healthy, and keep smiling!

Brush your teeth with the animals of the jungle in this tooth brushing song! How do a lion, a giraffe, and a hippopotamus brush their teeth? With help from t...

02/04/2026

On World Autism Awareness Day, we celebrate the unique strengths and vibrant voices of individuals on the autism spectrum.

We are delighted that Author and illustrator Julie Alison McDonald has written this blog for us about the power of books and reading: Supporting Children’s Oral Health, including Neurodivergent Children.

Read the full blog here: https://ow.ly/ypLK50YB82f

We have assembled some oral health advice for parents and carers of autistic children and young people. This advice has been written to support neurodivergent children or those with additional sensory needs. We recognise that supporting an autistic child can present unique challenges, but we hope this advice will help you to support your child to achieve healthy teeth and gums for life, to give them the smile they deserve. 💙

Find out more here: https://ow.ly/qqcH50YxBsH

02/04/2026

Yesterday we posted that last year a survey published by Dentistry magazine showed that 24% of children are missing out on the recommended routine of twice a day toothbrushing.

We asked you to vote for what the most common reason for skipping brushing from the options below.

Here are the results. Did you guess right? -
Why are children skipping brushing?
🦷 52% – Busy mornings & tired evenings
🦷 10% – Don’t like the taste of toothpaste
🦷 7% – Sensitive teeth
🦷 21% – Parents feel dental education isn’t good enough

🪥Do you have any top tips for getting a good morning and night-time brushing routine going? Let us know in the comments.

01/04/2026

🎉 Happy Retirement Kate! 🎉

Yesterday, we said goodbye to Kate, our Consultant in Dental Public Health, as she begins her well-earned retirement.

Thank you, Kate, for your outstanding dedication to oral health improvement and for the knowledge, guidance, and wisdom you’ve shared so generously over the years. Your work has made a lasting difference to oral health outcomes and to everyone who has had the pleasure of working alongside you. You will be truly missed.

We wish you a wonderful next chapter filled with relaxation, new adventures, and plenty of time to enjoy the things you love. You leave behind an incredible legacy. 💙