Brush Up is a North Somerset programme that helps families and adults look after their teeth and gums. We do this by training frontline professionals to become Oral Health Champions and by giving out free toothbrush packs with simple, helpful advice.

A team of Brush Up Champions with their training manuals and toothbrush packs.

What is Brush Up?

The Brush Up programme trains frontline professionals across North Somerset to become oral health champions, giving them the skills to deliver simple, evidence-based oral health advice to children, families and adults at higher risk of poor oral health. It also provides these trained staff with toothbrush packs to give out, ensuring resources are given alongside brief, sensitive guidance to support behaviour change and reduce oral health inequalities across priority communities.

Quote reads "Really good [training], I will take this forward into my role, to advise and support families with young children."

Skill Up: Training Oral Health Champions

We offer free, relevant training sessions to staff working in key settings in our communities.
The training covers:

  • Why oral health matters
  • How tooth decay happens and how to prevent it
  • Tips on toothbrushing and reducing sugar
  • How to give brief, sensitive oral health advice
  • How to make your setting supportive of oral health
  • The practicalities of the Brush Up programme
  • and lots more!

Champions use everyday conversations and day-to-day practice to help people build healthier habits, bringing sustainable oral health promotion into our communities.

Quote reads "Having the toothbrushes and toothpaste to give out makes it easier to introduce the subject, and parents seem more comfortable asking questions or talking about any difficulties they are having with their children’s oral health."

Distributing Toothbrush Packs

Oral Health Champions and their teams can offer free toothbrush packs to people who would benefit from them. Packs are available for all ages.
They are always given with simple guidance, so people know how to get the best out of them.

Quote reads "Many children my service work with have sensory processing difficulties, this often leads to toothbrush/paste refusal. it has given me confidence to support parents using a small steps approach."

Supporting Communities

Brush Up is designed to reach people who may find it harder to access dental care or oral health information, including:

  • Low‑income families
  • Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
  • People experiencing homelessness or supported housing
  • Neurodivergent people or those with sensory needs
  • Looked‑after children and care leavers
  • Older adults needing support

However, everyone can receive advice, and champions use their judgement to decide who might benefit from a pack.

Making oral health everyone’s business…

We’d love to see Brush Up Champions everywhere, in services that already support local residents every day. If people you support might benefit from your setting joining Brush Up, get in touch to arrange your Oral Health Champion training today.

More information

What to Expect

Once trained, a Brush Up Oral Health Champion, will be able to give:

  • Quick, friendly advice about looking after mouths
  • A toothbrush pack (if helpful)
  • Information on brushing, sugar, and dental check‑ups
  • Feedback to Better Health about Brush Up

How We Know It’s Working

Brush Up uses simple tools to understand its impact. Champions are asked to let Brush Up know:

  • how many packs they give out
  • what conversations they’ve had
  • whether their advice has helped

This helps us improve the programme and make sure it reaches the people who need it most.

Want Your Service to Get Involved?

We welcome enquiries from any service that supports local residents, whether you work with families, adults, young people, or community groups.
Brush Up offers:

  • Free, relevant training
  • A supply of toothbrush packs
  • Support from the Oral Health Public Health team

Get in touch with the Oral Health team at North Somerset Council to join the programme.