Tooth brushing songs will be heard at schools and early childhood centres in Tauranga today in celebration of World Oral Health Day.

Delivery of oral health services has changed in recent years with the move from a school based, to a community based approach that focuses on prevention and early intervention.

Improving oral health is a top priority for the midlands district health boards.

They want everyone to know visits for children from birth to 18 years to a community dental health service, and for teenagers aged 12-18 years to a dentist, are free.

Getting pre-schoolers seen by a dental therapist as early as possible is a great way to make sure their teeth are healthy and prevent decay before it happens.

The service is focusing on getting pre-school mums and dads aware of the free service and taking simple steps to ensure their children have decay-free teeth into adulthood.

Tooth decay remains the most significant health problem for preschoolers with 50 per cent of five year olds having already experienced decay.

Last year, 256 Bay of Plenty children aged between one year and 12 years had such severe teeth problems they needed further care under general anaesthetic to remove abscessing and broken down teeth and repair extensive decay.

The Bay of Plenty DHB oral health service is also focusing on getting pre-school mums and dads aware of the free service and taking simple steps to ensure their children have decay-free teeth into adulthood.

World Oral Heath Day aims to promote awareness of how important it is for parents to look after their children's teeth and how oral health diseases can affect general health and wellbeing.

Activities at Tauranga early childhood centres include visits from dental professionals, writing and singing tooth brushing songs, brush-ins with educational support, oral health policy development and healthy eating initiatives involving parents.

Enrolment forms and information on enrolment is available at many locations including:

Plunket, early childhood centres, doctor's surgeries, local schools, dental clinics, B4 school check.

For more information ring 0800TALKTEETH 0800825583 and press (1) or see www.letstalkteeth.co.nz

The changes with the oral heath service have seen an increasing demand from preschool children with increasing numbers now enrolled. The number of adolescents taking advantage of free oral health care has also increased.

Lakes and Bay of Plenty DHB Community Oral Health Services will have Oral Health Day displays and promotional material at libraries in Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga as well as in the Papamoa Community Centre and outside Countdown in the Rotorua central mall, on Monday.

In Turangi, the Lakes DHB Oral Health Promoter has organised an interactive display outside the pharmacy in the mall planned for today, Turangi Kindergarten is being visited at lunchtime on Wednesday and it is also hoped to do some oral health education at one of the rural kohanga reo that day.

The Turangi Chronicle will feature some photos of the kindy children eating their healthy snacks and lunches as well as those having fun with the teeth and brush models.