PERFECT HEALTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 231, 30 September 1935, Page 16

PERFECT HEALTH.

DIVINE WILL FOR MAN.

PHILOSOPHY OF DENTISTRY,

"POPULATION AS A WHOLE."

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspoudent.) NAPIEE, Saturday

Preventive dentistry as distinct from operative dentistry—the duty and the work of the dentist in detecting and combating' disease before it readies a grave condition —was the subject of an interesting paper which was delivered to the annual conference of the New Zealand Dental Association by Dr. R, E. T. Hewat, D.D.S. (N.Z.). The obstacle presented to useful preventive work by economic necessity and harm fill factors such as ignorance and neglect in the public mind were points upon which Dr. Hewat elaborated. ' Our appreeia tion of disease and it*> prevention will be more enlightened when we achieve a change in otir underlying philosophy of dentistry, a change that will result in a transition from tho point of view which embraces merely the individual to one which considers tho population as a whole," said Dr. Hewat. "Disease is practically universal, but it seems clear that the Divine will for man is perfect health, and that most of tho disease in the world to-day is brought upon man by himself." ' Instancing the work of the National Health League in England as one example of a changed outlook, Dr. Hewat described briefly the great educational move which the league had undertaken. "Faulty living, unhygienic habits and environment, wrong mental and emotional states aro taught to be the real cause of disease," he added. "Tho public," Dr. Hewat said, "already suspect that tho healing professions have been unintentionally fostering disease because of their complicated system of modern diagnosis and treatment, which seems more concerned with symptoms than with causes. "It seems essential that all factors in modern life which cause mental disturbance or abnormality, moral factors very often, must, ultimately be understood and effectively combated in a comprehensive health programme. Self-denial and self-control are inevitably associated with health. Can we, the dentists, help to unravel the tangled skeins of health and aid mankind to weave tho strands of his physiological and psychological conglomerate parts into a pattern of perfect health? Moulding Public Thought. "A profession which claims to be scientific in its outlook might well consider not only its limited Held of special endeavour but also study and be prepared to advise concerning broader issues which may demand social or moral reform. There is scope for constructive work in tho moulding of public opinion by means of authoritative pronouncements which express the views of our profession. We can help people to think honestly and sec clearly the nature and the extent of their divergence from normality in life. Do people consider, for instance, why so little is done to prevent the harm caused through the enormous consumption of sweets in this country? Do parents realise that it is their own indolence and selfishness which makes them unwilling to faco the task of training their children to forgo anything that gives them passing pleasure? Do people rcaliso that our system of representative Government is faulty if members aro unwilling to face tho outcry, from manufacturers and tho retailers, which would result from legislative prohibition of the sale of sweets?" Much of Dr. Hewat's paper was devoted to technical matters, such as the advocacy of certain methods for given conditions. Under the same heading, however, ho discussed also many points well within the grasp of the layman, including diet and ordinary precautions in the care of tho teeth with a view r.ot only to preservation of the teeth themselves but also to prevention of more general disease and constitutional disorders and deficiencies.

Danger of Over-eating. "People should be taught," he declared, "that disease arises more often as the result of over-eating than of under-eating. It is easier to point out defects in a known diet than to prescribe a changed diet, and wiser, because individual idiosyncrasies cannot be ignored and individual tastes should not be altogether disregarded. The importance of certain fundamental and essential elements in any diet must bo stressed—for instance, the supply of minerals, vitamins and roughage." U* also remarked that a diet which nmy be harmless to one person may well be harmful to another. Dealing with the commonness of pyorrhoea, Dr. Hewat said it was a regi ettable fact that the public-had very confused notions concerning the disease. Such confusion had arisen because many dentists, who should have known better, had led their patients to believe that any manifestation of the disease was a presage to artificial dentures and theretore not worth serious treatment. Such elementary factors as correct and proper use of the toothbrush were not neglected by Dr. Hewat, who added that in the .causation of pyorrhoea individual resistance played a large part in the determination of health or disease. Diet, exercise, sleep and a normal mental state were all essential for health and resistance to disease. (( "How often," the speaker remarked, are a few sound teeth sacrificed when they would have helped the patient to manage artificial dentures, and how urgent is the need for a more thorough knowledge of partial denture construction!" Economic Factor. Dr. Hewat declared that the stumbling block to the fullest development of pnv ventive service was the economic dependency of the dental profession. "The knowledge of that fact," ha said, "lias been the driving force which has at times urged me to arouse interest in public dental health service. I believe that when dental service is rendered in a spirit of co-operation, and is independent of financial advantage to the dentist, it will rise to unexpected heights of efficiency, and bring, our professional ideals within sight of their realisation." I Dr. Hewat concluded bp stressing the need in New Zealand for serious research work in order to enlighten the profession concerning human susceptibility to dental caries. "We are still groping for hidden mysteries in the legend of natural law, and see but dimly where we have transgressed simple laws," he said. "We cannot help our patients to a full measure of prevention, but- we can give them something worth while; and if we felt in a contemplative mood wo might, reflect that tlie effort to give will repay us handsomely, perhaps not in cash but; in the enrichment of life itself through \ the cultivation of the virtues of love | and unselfishness." - 1