In reply to icnoble:
I distinctively remember being taught how to brush teeth at school and being told daily to brush properly for at least two minutes in small circles by a visiting dentists, the school nurse and then by our biology teacher...
20 years on, 6 teeth removals and 4 fillings later I feel they should have done a better job. (You can read that with great sarcasm).
Quite frankly personal health and hygiene is something that should be highlighted to children not only by their parents but also at the start of school and continually throughout.
School provides the perfect medium for teaching/ informing children of the necessary requirements for good health and well being when they are at the correct age. PSHE is probably one of the most important subjects there is.
In a similar vein, I wish to an extent someone had shown me how to shave... or at least given me some idea. This would have saved much pain and embarrassment when confronted with an ex para acf sergent at the wee age of 13, waving a used bic razor in my face ordering me to 'scrape off that caterpillar'. Needless to say this resulted in the hematological contents of my upper lip being spread around the parade hall during the obligatory post inspection beasting.