At the launch of the Childsmile dental programmes, a giggle with nursery children from Royal Mile Primary School was shared by minister for Public Health Shona Robison.

For every health board in Scotland in the New Year, Robinson announced the roll-out of the £15m Childsmile nursery, school and practice programmes.

She said, "Childsmile School will deliver preventative care for children in primary one and two."

A report stated that the healthiest teeth they have ever seen were of children's teeth in the Lothians.

While rates of children signed up to an NHS dentist are soaring, more youngsters now have no signs of decay whatsoever.

The NHS Childsmile scheme has been given the credit of the success and it also sees trained dental nurses go into schools.

Public health minister Shona Robison said, "Our primary children have the best oral health since records began."

A survey has found that as compared to wealthiest kids, children from the poorest families in Scotland are almost twice as likely to suffer tooth decay.

An average of four teeth decayed, missing or filled, DMF, was seen in the children in both areas with decay. About eight per cent of the children accounted for half of all DMF teeth recorded.