The overall aim of Mini Mouth Care Matters (Mini MCM) is to empower staff through training and education, to identify patients that need help with mouth care and ensure it is delivered in a safe and compassionate way.

Mini MCM aims to empower medical and allied medical healthcare professionals to take ownership of the oral health care of any paediatric in-patient with a hospital stay of more than 24 hours.

We have developed an oral health screening tool to identify patients who may be at a high risk of developing dental decay, which has been shown to lead to long-term detrimental effects in children leading to pain, sepsis and compromised growth & development.

A range of posters to use on the ward or in staff rooms, covering the Mini MCM Elephant mascot to reminding families

Mini Mouth Care Matters aims to encourage all nursing, medical and health care professionals to “lift the lip” and identify common oral health/dental conditions and to include oral health care as part of basic general health care needs for all in-patients.

A simple measure to ask if a patient has brought their toothbrush with them (and if not- to provide one) may make all the difference to how the oral health of that patient is maintained whilst in a hospital setting, with a view to continue good OH practices at home.

Additional resources to support Mini MCM are also availble for children who attend special educational settings (SES); practitioners involved with the nationals CEW (complications of excessive weight) clinics, and those who look after children and young people with Sickle Cell.