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Smile with the Prophet
The Smile with the Prophet programme aims to introduce the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) as a role model to encourage children to look after their teeth and eat well.
The scheme was introduced in Bradford in 2001 and is run by the salaried dental services oral health teams from Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust.
Using a specially developed syllabus, mosque leaders and teachers help to spread the word about oral health, encouraging youngsters to brush their teeth daily through the teachings of the Prophet and Islam.
The teaching plan has six sessions, developing oral health messages and how they fit in with Islamic teachings such as cleaning your teeth before prayer and not eating or drinking to excess.
An activity book containing puzzles, drawings and information is given to each child, along with a book bag, toothpaste and a toothbrush.
“The oral health of young children in Bradford and Airedale is poor compared to neighbouring areas and nationally with more than half of children having experienced dental disease,” said oral health promoter, Sharon Newton.
“The programme aims to encourage children to brush their teeth twice every day with fluoride toothpaste and helps mosque teachers to take a lead role in educating their peers and helping their communities to have better oral health,” she said.
Sharon said that diet is also a very important aspect of good dental health. “One of the sessions focuses on food and the importance of having sugary foods and drinks at mealtimes only and drinking plain milk or water instead in between meals,” she said.
“And children should choose healthy snacks between meals and try to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.”
“Following the success of this programme in the Bradford area, we are now going to work with mosques in Airedale,” said Sharon. “People think it’s a great idea and a good resource for their community and we hope to build on this success in Keighley.”
“It’s great as both the children and adults learn how important this is,” said Mohammed Iqbal, from Ukim-Madina Mosque in Keighley, where 268 children have recently completed the programme.
He said the knowledge gained through Smile with the Prophet, reinforced centuries old religious teachings. “And as well as learning the importance of cleaning their teeth, the children really enjoyed the sessions,” he added.
The project has been so successful that it is now being used by oral health teams across the country.
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