Children’s Teeth

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 200, 21 May 1936, Page 11

Children’s Teeth

Sir,—Non are to be congratulated upon ; publishing in last Saturday’s paper the interesting article dealing with the activities of the School Dental Service. But in giving due credit to the good work of the nurses, only the briefest reference is made to what is the crux of the problem—the influence of diet. It is stated that in 1934 no fewer than 236,005 fillings were made in "first teeth,” which is nearly 50 per cent, more than the 163,555 made in the permanent teeth. This is a rather unfortunate reflection upon the quality of the tcetb which the children grow while they arc under the care of the worthy organisation founded by Sir Truby King, whom yon quote at the beginning. In feeding Blanket babies it has been recommended for years that plenty of water should be added to the milk — which already contains nearly ninety per cent of water! Surely it would be better to cut out some of the water and give more milk in order to grow teeth

which will be more resistant to decay. When so many children come to sehool with faulty "baby teeth,” the School Dental Service is no doubt compelled byforce of circumstances to be chiefly a repair service. I have no wish to discredit the good work done by the Blanket Society, but it seems to me that if their feeding formulas were modernised there might be fewer decayed "baby teeth” waste the time of the dental nurses. There are, of course, other contributing reasons, such as the general ignorance of the principles of diet, and particularly the absurdly high cost of milk, which prevents many children getting nearly enough after babyhood. As you have devoted so _ much spaca to the important work being done by the School Dental Service, perhaps you might arrange to publish an article—or, better, a whole series—to deal with the still more important subject of correct diet as a preventive of dental decay. If this matter were taken up in the proper way, as I am sure the Director of Dental Services realises, there would not need to be so much of his limited funds spent upon patchwork with teeth which are soon to drop out.—I am.etc., PREVENTION. Wellington, May 18.

(Other' Letters on Pago 6.)