HARMFUL FOOD

Grey River Argus, 7 September 1939, Page 5

HARMFUL FOOD

TEETH IN DOMINION. AUCKLAND, September 5. “New Zealanders will never have good teeth until they reduce the present consumption of sugars and starches, which is the highest in the world,” said Mr E. P. H. Nash, an Auckland dentist, who has returned from a. visit to the United States. While in America he attended the Pacific Science Congress, at Berkeley, California, and addressed the nutrition section on the dental health of the people of New Zealand Although research workers on nutrition in the dental field were in conflict on numerous points, they were all agreed he said, that the consumption of starches and sugars among civilised peoples was far in excess of what it should be. New Zealand’s proportion was higher per capita than that of any other country, and as a result the Dominion had an exceptionally high ratio of dental carles. This position -was due chiefly to the habit of consuming extra meals, such as morning and afternoon teas and suppers, which included more starch and sugar than ordinary meals, besides adding to the total amount consumed. “There is no doubt that this habit is very harmful to the teeth, apart from its other effects,” declared Mr Nash. “If New Zealand people would confine themselves to the norma? three meals a day there is no reason why they should not have as good teeth as Americans, for their general diet compares favourably with that in the United States. A great effort is being made to improve the teeth of children by means of school dental clinics, nut unfortunately this does not go t 0 the cause of the trouble. Hie problem is a national one, and is not strictly a matter for dentists.” Mr Nash concluded by saying that he would like to pay a tribute to the fine dental and medical health exhibits at the Golden Gate Exposition, at San Francisco, which were both sponsored by the respective professions. The outstanding message conveyed was to emphasise the need of prevention.