Liverpool City Council is set to distribute more than 40,000 free toothbrushes and nearly 40,000 tubes of toothpaste to children across the city this July to combat tooth decay.

The scheme, part of a national government partnership with Colgate-Palmolive, focuses on three to five-year-olds in early years settings across the most deprived areas of England, with over 23 million toothbrushes being donated nationwide.

It comes amid stark local figures: nearly a third of Liverpool's five-year-olds have experienced tooth decay – well above the national average – and tooth extraction remains the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged five to nine across the UK.

Alongside the toothbrush distribution, the council is rolling out the All Together Smiling supervised brushing programme in early years settings and primary schools and has also implemented the Mini Mouth Care Matters Programme at Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture Cllr Harry Doyle said the initiative was about equipping children with ‘simple daily habits’ that support health, school readiness and confidence from an early age.

Prof Sondos Albadri, Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry at University of Liverpool and Alder Hey, commented: ‘Liverpool’s figures remain among the worst in the country, with a third of our five-year-olds still affected by tooth decay, well above the national average. Across England, tooth decay is now the leading reason for children aged five to nine being admitted to hospital.

‘That is why this programme matters. Getting toothbrushes and toothpaste into the hands of families, and supervised brushing into our schools and nurseries, saves children from the operating table. No child should lose their teeth before their fifth birthday.’