Asda & Colgate donate 70k dental kits to schools to help fight tooth decay

Asda and Colgate have launched a new initiative to help combat tooth decay amongst 70,000 children living in some of the most deprived parts of the UK.

The initiative will see more than 70,000 free dental kits, consisting of a toothbrush, toothpaste, an educational leaflet and a brushing chart for children, sent directly to over 1,600 schools, benefitting children throughout the country.

Tooth decay remains the leading cause of hospital admission for children aged 5 to 9 years , with those living in the most deprived communities 3.5 times more likely to have a decaying tooth extracted than children in more affluent areas.

With families in areas of high deprivation facing more challenges to their oral health, Asda has set out to address this dental inequality in partnership with Colgate. This initiative will ensure oral care products and advice reach those children who require the most support.

Packs will also include education materials for families to help cement a good oral care routine at home, while schools will also be given access to Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures school programme (which is aligned to the National Curriculum). With a particular focus on supporting children entering the education system, the donated packs will help classes teach kids the importance of looking after their teeth and gums.

Hayley Tatum MBE, Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer, said: “Children from the most deprived communities clearly face an uphill battle when it comes to receiving basic dental care. By providing the tools and educational materials to over 1600 schools and 70,000 students, we hope to help children to establish healthy dental habits and behaviours that they can continue for the rest of their lives.”

Participating schools will receive a pack with the following materials:

• Toothbrushes

• Toothpastes

• Educational Family Leaflets

• Access to Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures school programme (aligned to National Curriculum)

Asda continues to launch new ways to better support schools, including the recent launch of its Cashpot for Schools initiative. The campaign has raised over £3m for UK primary schools since launching at the start of September. The initiative sees Asda donate 0.5% of the value of its customers' shopping to a primary school of their choice, every time they shop using Asda Rewards.

Asda has also recently provided additional oral health support to shoppers, teaming up with the NHS to provide potential symptoms of mouth cancer on millions of toothpaste tubes and mouthwash bottles. Asda's own brand of oral hygiene products now features NHS advice in over 500 Asda stores across the country, encouraging people to contact their GP or dentist if they notice any symptoms that could indicate cancer.

Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™ launched in 2014 in the UK through the School and the Profession Programs. It consists of schools kit distribution, recommendations from dental professionals to teach kids through their parents, as a means of uniting families on one journey and a greater focus on the profession to set everyone up to have good oral health for life.

1. Hospital tooth extractions in 0 to 19 year olds: short statistical commentary 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

2. Hospital tooth extractions in 0 to 19 year olds: short statistical commentary 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)