OUR BABIES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10738, 1 September 1913, Page 3

OUR BABIES.

! Published under the auspices of the Society for the Health of Women and Children. ADDRESSES OP PLUNKET NURSES AND SECRETARIES. * ‘lt is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom. Wanganui.—Plunket Nurse Edmondstone. Office of Society T. Y. M. I. Buildings, The Avenue, Telephone 949. Office hours 9.10 1 a.m. daily except Tuesdays. I Every Wednesday 2 till 4 p.m. | Secretary Miss Cummins, Messrs Wray and Brown, Ridgway . Street, Telephone 377, ! Marton. —Plunket Nurse Edmondstone, every Tuesday. Office of Society Ingle Bros,, Broadway, Telephone 37. Hours 1.30 to 5 p.m. Hon. Secretary, Miss Cook, Bond Street, telephone 54. Christchurch—Plunket Nurses Hickson and Hansard. Office: Chancery Lane, Cathedral Square. Dunedin.—Plunket Nurses Lain and Torrance. Office: Health Department Rooms, Liverpool Street. Timaru.—Plunket Nurse Campbell. Office: Arcade Chambers. Ashburton —Plunket Nurse Hickson. Office: Bullock’s Arcade. Invercargill.—Plunket Nurse O’Shea Allen’s Hall, Kelvin Street. Auckland.—Plunket Nurses Chappell and Brien, Park Street. Napier. Plunket Nurse Donald, Byron Street. New Plymouth. Plunket Nurse Morgan. Office, Town Hall. Wellington.—Plunket Nurse Laiug. Office: 8(5 Yiviau Street. . Society’s Baby Hospital, Karitane Home, Anderson’s Bay, Dunedin. By Hygeia. THE SOCIETY’S BOOK. 2:2 The Society’s little book, entitled “What Baby Needs,’’ can be obtained from the Matron, Karitane •Harris Hospital, the Plunket nurses, the honorary secretaries, and the leading booksellers throughout the Dominion. Price 6d ; posted, 7d. DECAYED TEETH. The following inquiry was received a short time ago from a country township. As the care of our children’s teeth is a matter of the first importance, we feel sure that “Inquirer’s’’ letter and Dr. Pickerill’s reply will be read with great interest : Dear “Hygeia,’’—l wish to ask your advice about a little girl’s teeth She is nearly six, and some of her lower molars are badly decayed, two being mere shells. Should these decayed teeth be extracted? We might have had tins done, but were told her permanent teeth would then come through prematurely, and would nob therefore bo so durable In her upper Jaw her second teeth are very irregular, the two front ones being very broad, but those adjoining quite small. —I am, eto.. INQUIRER. .Tin’s question was submitted to the leading authority in the Dominion—namely, Dr. Piokerili, Professor of Dentistry at "the Otago University. The following is Iris reply: DR. PICKERILL’S REPLY. I am always very glad to be of any use to you and your work. As regards the questions you ask, it is very difficult to lay down any barcl-and'-fast rales. It all depones, upon whether sepsis is present or not, and whether the latter is amenable fco treatment. But in all cases of carious deciduous teeth something must be done It must not be allowed (as is often the case) to slide. The teeth should be filled if possible and if not they should be extracted. Two or three years of septic absorption may far outweigh in evil effects any deformity which may result from too early extraction. The necessity of children masticating food which requires the exercise of some force should be pointed out, and if necessary suitable diets arranged for particular rases. Great care should be taken of the deciduous teeth, that these do not become so diseased as to necessitate their extraction before the right age. Should they, however, become hopelessly septic, they must be extracted, since the risk of septic absorption for, perhaps, a year or two far outweighs the evil effect of-crowding the permanent teeth. Deciduous teeth retained beyond the normal age should be extracted if tiiere is any sign of the presence of the permanent tooth—usually to be detected as a bulging of the .bone upon palpation immediately below the deciduous tooth Sometimes a difficulty may arise in deciding wliether a particular tooth is a deciduous or permanent one. This may be determined by drawing a finepointed probe over the termination of the enamel at the cervix. In deciduous teetn it terminates in a distinct ridge ; in permanent teeth its termination is not noticeable A deciduous tooth should not,, however, be extracted if possible before the age at which its permanent successor should erupt, and it should not be allowed to remain much after this period without due reason. It is therefore eminently necessary to £ remember the numbers which represent the ages at which the respective deciduous teeth should be lost physiologically:— 7 central. y 8 lateral 10 first deciduous molars. 11 canine. 11 second deciduous molars