DENTAL CLINICS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1926, Page 2

DENTAL CLINICS

RAPID EXTENSION OF SYSTEM. The teeth of children in New Zealand are probably no worse than those of children of other countries, but the initial inspection of dental officers in the State schools revealed that 95 per cent, were suffering from dental decay ; this undoubtedly being caused through 'erroneous dieting. This fact supplies the best justification for the steps taken to make a thorough survey of school children’s teeth and to eliminate this decay that is so deleterious to good health ana satisfactory study. Good health is more closely related to the condition of the teeth than some people are prepared to admit. The Government’s dental treatment scheme inaugurated in 1920 has rapidly developed in recent years, and the teaching profession, and others interested, realise only too well its advantages. At the present time there are 47 school dental clinics throughout the Dominion, and these, 1 controlled by thirteen dental surf geons and forty-two nurses afford regiilar treatment to 32,000 children — 3 that is, this number of children are L examined every six months and any I necessary stoppings or extractions are ) carried out. There is a great demand 3 for the establishment of further j clinics throughout the country, and, > with this object m view the departi me’ht is constantly training additional i nurses. At present the backblock - schools are not receiving any great 3 benefit from the scheme, but the ne- . cessity for securing some means of . reaching these children is fully real- . ise.l. In rhis regard, it might be , mentioned that an effort was made to t ca+er for ihe country districts per mef dium of motor dental ambulances in , the Auckland district, but the sert vice did not prove as successful as anticipated, and had to be discontinued. The Wellington clinic, in which the nurses receive their initial training, is a model of efficiency and speaks of the confidence that the children have in their neat and trim and considerate women attendants. A striking feature of the institution, which is well equipped, is that the youngsters submit to treatment cheerfully and bear the minimum degree of pain 1 that is essential for them to do in the circumstances with scarcely a mur- ‘ mur. The calm of the clinic is rare- ’ ly disturbed by agonising crying or ’ noise, despite the fact that on an average 150 children pass through it , daiJy ; and this in itself, is a tribute to the solicitous care of the nurses ’ an 1 their general ability. Children throughout the citv and . suburbs are treated free of charge, , bun the various schools are not cater- . ed for systematically. Parents are encouraged to submit their offspring , for advice and treatment from the age ■of two-iind-a-half years upwards, the department recognising the necessity . for effectively dealing with decay at the earliest possible moment. There is no gainsaying the fact that much of the trouble occasioned to the teeth is influenced by so-called modern diet, which is refined, and tends to lessen the exercise that is so essential ■to the jaws. Fomentation, which is ■ so injurious, is caused -.and decay im- • mediately -sets in With a view to combating this sort of thing the De- . partmlent of Hygiene advocates the : adoption of coarser food, and the consumption of more fruit and vegetables instead of injurious sweets. The work neing carried out by the department is commended in every direction, and there is no doubt that with careful attention being given to teejlr the tendency will be to build up a stronger and more vigorous community.