In response to urgent requests from local food banks in Sheffield, the dental community in Sheffield has just donated thousands of tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes in time for National Smile Month, a campaign developed by the Oral Health Foundation, to raise awareness of important health issues.
Collections have been made from Sheffield Teaching Hospital's Charles Clifford Dental Hospital and the Community and Special Care Dentistry Service, the School of Clinical Dentistry and a special thank you to GlaxoSmithKline for a huge donation.
Demands on foodbanks have increased sharply due to the impact of the Coronavirus, and while communities are struggling financially, dental services are limited and people's routines are disrupted. Daily toothbrushing with a fluoride toothpaste is particularly important to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
A big thanks to Voluntary Action Sheffield (VAS) and Sheffield City Council for their help co-ordinating their distribution.
