SCHOOLCHILDREN from Liverpool are helping to boost healthy teeth and gums with the creation of a new animation, launched to mark World Smile Day (Friday, 3 October 2025).  

Pupils at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School have lent their artistic skills to All Together Smiling, an NHS initiative aimed at encouraging children aged 2 to 7 in Cheshire and Merseyside to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for healthy teeth.  

World Smile Day is a celebration of the power of a smile and a perfect moment to highlight the importance of healthy teeth and gums for children.   

Across Cheshire and Merseyside, tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged 6 - 10, with 31.2% of 5-year-olds having already experienced tooth decay, according to the 2024 National Dental Epidemiology Programme report.  

The new animation, co-produced with local children, explains step-by-step how supervised toothbrushing works and why it matters. The animation also acts as a practical resource for early years practitioners, boosting confidence and inspiring more nurseries, schools, and childminders to join the programme. 

Professor Ian Ashworth, Director of Population Health, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said:- "Supervised toothbrushing is 1 of the most effective ways to reduce dental decay in young children, and this animation brings the programme to life in a way that’s both engaging and reassuring. It helps children understand what to expect and encourages healthy habits that can last a lifetime." 

Mr Davey, Headteacher at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School, said:- “Thanks to the All Together Smiling team, a small group of lucky children from Blessed Sacrament were offered the wonderful opportunity to work with their team to animate their educational video all about oral health. It is such a vital message to share with children and their parents and carers all over the North West, as looking after teeth and gums from the earliest possible moment helps children to grow up with excellent oral health - and with a beautiful smile!” 

Reflecting on the experience, 1 pupil said:- “It was fun, we got to draw, move the toothbrushes and characters around on the paper. We then looked at them on the iPad. It was like a real movie. Brushing your teeth keeps them healthy, this helps when we eat our food.” 

Another excited pupil added:- “It was a lovely surprise to be chosen. I enjoyed the cutting out, making a character and the animation. Our teeth need to be nice and clean. If they are not, we can get cavities or lose them.” 

The All Together Smiling programme launched in April 2024 through the Beyond Children and Young People’s Transformation Programme. It focusses on children in areas where there are the highest levels of dental decay in Cheshire and Merseyside, providing training and resources to early years settings, and distributing free oral health packs containing toothbrushes, fluoride toothpaste, and information leaflets to children and families. 

Since its launch, the programme has reached over 11,000 children across 180 settings, with nearly 300,000 dental care packs distributed.  

Nationally, this work aligns with the UK Government’s new wider drive to improve oral health in young children, including a partnership with Colgate-Palmolive delivering over 2 million free toothbrushes and toothpaste to children in deprived areas as part of a 5-year plan to give children the best start in life. 

The animation is now available to view and share here.

For more information on the All Together Smiling programme or to see if your setting is eligible, contact:- alltogethersmiling@alderhey.nhs.uk.