A series of exciting free events for young children and their families are planned throughout the month at local community venues, with dental nurses on hand to offer advice and information, special oral health activities for children, and free resources such as toothbrushes and toothpaste to take away.
They will be held at Wolves Foundation’s Healthy Goals session at Wolfies Den, Molineux Stadium, on Tuesday 19 May from 1pm to 2.30pm, the Gem Centre, Wednesfield, on Wednesday 27 May from 9.30am to 3pm, and the Stay and Play sessions at Cherry Street SEND Hub on Friday 15 May from 9.30am to 11am, Bilston Art Gallery on Thursday 4 June from 10am to 11.30am, Eastfield Family Hub on Tuesday 9 June from 10am to 11.30am, and Whitmore Reans Family Hub on the same day from 1pm to 2.30pm.
Meanwhile, people are being reminded to brush their teeth for 2 minutes, last thing at night and one other time during the day, with a fluoride toothpaste. After brushing their teeth, they should spit, rather than rinse.
People should also limit their consumption of sugary foods and drinks, and to visit the dentist regularly – treatment is free for under 18 and eligible adults, including pregnant women, new mothers within 12 months of giving birth, those in NHS hospitals and people on specific benefits.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “Encouraging good oral health in our children is vital as tooth decay starts early in life – and those that have high levels of disease in their first teeth have an increased risk of disease in their permanent teeth.
“Fortunately, most decay and oral diseases can be prevented or managed by healthy behaviours such as enjoying a healthy balanced diet and cleaning teeth and gums effectively, which is something we should all instil into our daily routine – whatever our age.”
To find your nearest dentist, please visit Find a dentist.
National Smile Month, organised by the Oral Health Foundation, began yesterday (Monday 11 May, 2026) and continues until 11 June, 2026. For more details, please visit Smile Month.
The council and the NHS has developed an online toolkit to help promote good oral health. Available at Oral Health Toolkit, it is aimed at a range of professionals working with children and young people in health and education settings.
