DENTAL HEALTH

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27443, 1 September 1954, Page 15

DENTAL HEALTH

WATCH ON CHILDREN’S DIET URGED

(New Zealand Pren Anociation) AUCKLAND, August 31. ■'lf we were to eat the foods the experts think we should eat, our present staple foods would become luxuries, the president of the New Zealand Dental Association (Mr M. E, Priestley, of Auckland) said at the opening of the association's annual meeting In Auckland today. The public did not sufficiently appreciate that prevention and cure of dental disease was greatly assisted by careful attention to basic matters of general health, he said. There was some hope in fluoridation of drinking water. But that would not help in the preservation of the supporting soft tissues and bone, diseases of which caused the loss of more teeth than were lost by caries. Over-indulgent parents were much to blame for dental decay In children, said Mr Priestley. “Eating on the streets by children, reaching a climax on Saturday afternoons, offends all our teachings, apart from its vulgarity. l * he said. Parents should give their children less money, and the schools should view sweets as seriously a cigarettes, he said. Boarding schools often had wrong diets, and all schools should have facilities for the cleaning of teeth after lunch.