Winning Smiles at Water’s Edge
Children and staff at Water’s Edge Day Nursery in Elland are proud to show their pearly whites after being awarded the ‘Cute Fruit Plus’ Dental Health Award.
Presented by the Health Improvement Team from South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust the award aims to improve children’s oral health.
Joanne Bradbury-Wood, owner of the Oftsed rated ‘Outstanding’ nursery in Park Road said: "We’re delighted to receive this award. We’re very serious about promoting the importance of keeping teeth healthy to children at the nursery, for example all our nursery staff have undertaken oral health training and oral health information is offered to parents."
To achieve the award the nursery demonstrated that they fulfilled a number of criteria appropriate to each child age group, including:
• Only serving water, milk and healthy snacks with no added sugar between meals • Introducing babies to a ‘free flowing’ trainer cup at 6 months • Children from 12 months being discouraged from using a bottle • A reward system that is sugar free • Encouraging ‘special occasions’ to be celebrated without sugary foods and drinks unless it is given as part of a meal • Children not being permitted to take confectionary to nursery with them
Joanne added: "We also ask parents to continue the theme at home by brushing their young children’s teeth as soon as they start to appear, brushing morning and night with a small pea-sized amount of family fluoride toothpaste, encouraging their child to spit out excess toothpaste and not rinsing, keeping sugary foods and drinks to mealtimes and ensuring their child has regular check-ups at the dentist."
Kath Halstead, oral health improvement specialist at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Children’s oral health is vitally important and South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust was delighted to have worked with the nursery. Everyone made me very welcome and staff were keen to find out what they could do to help keep young teeth healthy. The role-play dental surgery which has been on loan to the nursery certainly seems a popular activity with the children; helping them to feel confident when visiting the dentist.”
The Water’s Edge Children’s Day Nursery opened in 2001 and is Ofsted rated ‘Outstanding’. Last summer the nursery owners also opened The Edge Play Gym and Café in the same building which has been a roaring success with local families. Offering first rate soft play facilities and a delicious menu sourced in the main from local suppliers the venue is a hit with parents and children alike!