DENTAL HEALTH

Evening Star, Issue 23496, 9 February 1940, Page 8

DENTAL HEALTH

NEW APPROACH ADVOCATED ADDRESS BY PROFESSOR BURT CIVIC BODY LIKE PLUHKET SOCIETY SUGGESTED {Special Vto the ’ Star.’] WELLINGTON, February 9. Tlie New Zealand Dental Association’s annual conference is being held in Wellington this week, and over a hundred members are attending the meetings. A notable visitor is. Professor A. J. Arnott, 8.D.5., D.D.Sc., Dean of the Dental Faculty of the Sydney Dental Hospital. His lectures on improved methods of surgical treatment in oral surgery, illustrated with moving films, constitute the leadingfeature of an important programme covering many phases of the work of the profession. Presiding over the conference is Professor J. Reid Burt (Dunedin), whose address at the opening of the conference made a new approach to the consideration of the subject of dental health. After referring to the small value placed on good health until it is lost, Professor ißurt pointed out that as the -process of digestion. begins in the mouth, this is the main portal to the alimentary tract, and everything to sustain life must pass through it before entering the body. But if, owing to disease of the teeth and contiguous tissues, it has been turned into a veritable cesspool of filth, infection of any other part of the intestinal tract may result. “ Public measures through sanitation, the isolation of communicable disease, and the quarantine of contacts have made such things reasonably safe,” continued the speaker, 11 so that in the last analysis it is with the individual himself and his habits of personal cleanliness that the responsibility rests of determining the content of what enters the body through the portal of the mouth.”

Despite the publication of arresting facts regarding the initiation of disease in organs remote from the teeth, due to bacteria 'and their poisonous products which had entered the body from focal areas around the apices of the teeth, dental disease, said the speaker, remained as rampant as ever in civi-' lised countries. This led him to ask whether the present approach to the problem of dental hygiene and the teaching of it had been alongthe most profitable lines. The technological era which so long dominated dentistry still exerted a powerful influence, hence the belief in operative procedures with a View to prevention and control. But, with the steady growth of the biological concept, examination, as represented by the technological idea, had given place to diagnosis even in the making of a prosthetic appliance, while sociological and psychological factors hitherto but little explored were claiming increased attention. “In fact,” continued Professor Burt, “we have crossed the threshold of a new era which suggests that any scheme for the promotion of dental health, especially among the masses, whether this be by the insurance principle. State dentistry, or a modified form of both, must necessarily entail not only a great change in the practice, but in the whole philosophv of dentistry The promotion of dental health consists of something more than the mere question of tooth brushing and frequent visits to the dentist for the purpose of having the teeth filled. A wider vision is required, and it would seem that if any real progress is to be made the whole problem must be considered in the light of a social problem, and must be approached from a standpoint, of environment, economies, ethnology, food habits, and occupation pursuits,” A good deal was heard, said Professor Burt, of the need for adequate dental care, but the inability of the people to pay for it. His own opinion was that the possession of money did not necessarily mean that attention would be given to this important matter. for the tendency was to spend money on more spectacular and pleasurable purposes. This had led many to become convinced that the quickest solution was to he found in_schemes for health insurance. But. while recognising that such schemes may possess certain merits, experience seemed to be that after all they were but temporising expedients, so that others had been induced to go a step further and advocate a State dentistry, with regimentation of the masses. “ Such a measure,” continued the _ speaker, although it might give immediate and •brilliant results, would probably fail in the end, because, being anti-British and based on the totalitarian idea, it would be likely to be followed by manv unpleasant reactions. Thus according to many writers and thinkers it should be used sparingly, and should never be too far ahead of public opinion. _ Therefore it appears that the democratic way promises to offer the best results, in that it works by inspiring men and women with a right sense of values, and creates in them the spontaneous desire to be healthy, and to find ,out how best they ean fulfil this desire. This means that the people must be educated so that their valuation of the immediate result, and of the delayed real welfare on this earth, is balanced in just proportion.” 1 DANGER OF REGIMENTATION. Professor Burt uttered a warningthat regimentation, though it might be a quick way of solving many health problems, had also many dangers in that it might ultimately raise issues to which even its most ardent supporters might find themselves violently opposed, for if control in matters of health is sought hv such a ’method it is not inconceivable that regimentation of life itself would follow, leading to the most radical'changes in our present social system. nncf eventually involving some of the strongest and deepest instincts of human nature associated with freedom and liberty. In consideration of these facts, therefore, it would appear that the wiser course would be to direct our efforts towards the

development of a spontaneous desire, and individual responsibility for health in the community through educational measures based on a correct psychological interpretation of human nature and its many vagaries, that will create a better sense of values in the masses and lead to the understanding on their part that indulgence in immediate pleasures is often not th* road to health, but to suffering.’^ SOCIETY OF ORAL HYGIENE. Professor Burt declared that- th* efforts of governments in this sphere remained comparatively impotent until they had the support of intelligent and appreciative citizenship. This had been proved repeatedly,’ and, • for example, one need only to turn to the work dona by lay bodies in stamping out tuberculosis; indeed, such bodies had don* more than medicine itself to _ bring' about a better state of ,affairs in this direction. Dentistry, however, had not been similarly blessed, for it had never been fortunate enough to have an out-' side agency to help it in the fight against dental disease. He* reminded members of the conference that some years ago in a paper on preventive dentistry he had advocated the establishment of a society for the promotion of oral hygiene, and he was more convinced than ever that this was th* course to follow. It could hot only help in organising a better standard of dental health education, but give assistanco towards co-ordinating th* efforts to promote dental health by other bodies such as the Plunbet Society and the New Zealand Obstetrical Society, especially in, relation to the battle for elimination from children’s diet of such foodstuffs as ar* known to be definitely deleterious to the dental tissues. “This latter struggle,” concluded Professor -Burt, “ is likely to be long and difficult, and the profession cannot win out on its own. It is too small a body. Btl with a strong civic organisation behind it, backed up by philanthropic aid, much might be done, and triumph, ultimately crown its efforts to justify itself as an important unit in the promotion of national health.’l