NEGLECT OF THE TOOTH BRUSH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 302, 18 December 1912, Page 7

NEGLECT OF THE TOOTH BRUSH.

DENTAL CAJRIES AMONG REPORT OF EXAMINING COMMITTEE The state of the teeth of the children in some of the Auckland schools is described in a report submitted to the Education Board by the dentists' committee. The report states that the examination conducted by the Auckland Den*al Association and Hospital Board,, of tho children attending the Napier, Nelsor, Federal, and Beresford Streets public schools, has just been conclnded. The total number of children whose mouths were examined were 1,857, ranging from five to fifteen yearsi These had 7,639 decayed permanent teeth, as follows:—3.Ssß which needed simple fillings to restore them to a healthy and natural condition; 1,965 needed complex fillings and treatment of the dental pulp and root canals; and 1,816 hopelessly decayed, though possibly some of these could "be saved; but in the meantime were a real source of danger to the health and physical well-being of the children. Between tbe ages of seven to thirteen years only 80 children, or 4J per cent, had no decay in their permanent teeth. As an indication of the rapid progress of decay when unchecked, it may be noted tliat between the ' of seven to ten years there were 62 , children with no decay in the permanent teeth, while between the ages of ten to thirteen years there were only 18 children with sound teeth. A very regrettable feature of the examinations, continues the report, was an almost total lack of effort on the part 1 of the parents to have their children's teeth preserved, as only 50 of the 1.557 children examined had any fillings done in their mouths at all. Most of the children had never been taught to use a I tooth brush, and the mouths were in 1 most cases in a shockingly unhealthy condition. It is pleasing to note that in those cases where the tooth brush had been used systematically, the percentage j of decayed teeth was considerably less,! and the mouth and gums were healthy and clean. It is gratifying to observe that as a result of the examinations conducted bo far over 100 children have presented for treatment at the Dental Hospital, and considering that the number eligible for treatment at the institution is limited, this must be regarded as eatisfactorv. Ai. its meeting to-day the Education Board decided to thank the Dental Association for its report.