CHILDREN in parts of Gwent have some of the least healthy teeth in the United Kingdom, a new study shows.

Toothpaste giant Colgate has been visiting schools nationwide with its dental 'hit squads', giving away one million samples of toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental gum and mouthwash to pupils in the top ten dental blackspot areas.

The initiative, part of the awareness month backed by the British Dental Association, follows up a survey by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD), which revealed major differences across England and Wales in the health of children's teeth.

In Gwent, each 14-year-old child was found to have on average 2.73 decayed, missing or or filled teeth, compared to an England and Wales average of 1.48.

Caerphilly county borough (2.94) and Blaenau Gwent (2.93) were found to be worst areas in Wales on this score, with only Newport (2.08) coming in under the Wales-only average of 2.10.

Trinant primary school has been among the schools in Wales visited by the Colgate hit squad. But it will take more than free samples of tooth-friendly products to reverse the trend. One of the problems, especially in Valleys areas, is lack of access to NHS dentists.

The Assembly executive earlier this year announced an investment of £5.3 million during the next three years into NHS dentistry to try to address the problem.

As well as aiming to provide more access to NHS dentists for patients, there is the Welsh Dental Initiative, which is seeking to attract more dentists to Wales, and work is going on to draw up a new contract for NHS dentists in Wales.

This year, £1.5m of the Assembly cash is helping Local Health Boards, dental bodies and dentists prepare for the changes the contract will bring in.

In both 2005/06 and 2006/07 £1.9m will be available to help improve patients' access to NHS dentistry.