Children will brush their teeth at breakfast clubs

It is hoped the initiative will improve Glasgow's oral health record, which is among the worst in Western Europe.

Parents, who have volunteered and been trained, will supervise 2,000 children who attend school breakfast clubs.

The East Glasgow Community Health Project aims to build on the success of tooth brushing schemes among nursery children in deprived areas of Glasgow.

These have led to a three-fold increase in the number of under-fives who have no cavities.

Under the latest initiative older children up to the age of 12 will be involved.

This could easily bring about the biggest single health improvement that the east end of Glasgow has seen in years Cllr James Coleman

It is also intended that the daily tooth brushing service will be expanded to include 3,500 children in primaries 1 and 2 by December this year.

Councillor James Coleman, chair of the East Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership (CHCP), said the programme could create a massive turnaround in health.

"This could easily bring about the biggest single health improvement that the east end of Glasgow has seen in years," he said.

Dental targets

"Parents have clearly indicated we should be doing more to prevent tooth decay and the new CHCP structure is allowing us to deliver exactly what they want."

Glasgow East CHCP aims to meet the Scottish Executive target for the whole of Scotland that by 2010 at least 60% of primary 7 children will have no dental decay.

Parliamentary Business Minister Margaret Curran said the project was a good example of agencies working together.