DECAY OF TEETH.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1925, Page 6

DECAY OF TEETH.

SLOPPY FOODS EATEN. HOW THE TROUBLE STARTS, DENTISTS IN CONFERENCE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. At the annual conference of the New Zealand Dental Association delegates from all parts of the Dominion are present. The president, Mr. 0. H. Moses, in his opening address, stressed the importance of eating hard foods for avoidance of dental troubles. Examination disclosed that 98 per cent, of school children were suffering from more or less x dental decay, most of which could be prevented by avoiding sloppy food. He particularly stressed the value of wholemeal flour and the elimination of extra meals, which would tend to prevent both indigestion and decayed teeth. The cause of decay was entirely particles of food about the teeth. A micro-organism exuding from the acid dissolved the enamel and the trouble was started.

The Mayor (Sir James Gunson) welcomed the members of the conference to the city. The dental profession rendered the public a service, half of which was not, he feared, sufficiently appreciated. Its work was complementary to that of the great medical profession. The secret of happiness was to be found not in worldly possessions but in contentment, and that in turn was founded on good health. In its contributions to the public weal in that respect he highly appraised the work of the dental profession. The ©lection of officers resulted as follows: Mr. A. Dickens, Invercargill, president; Mr. W. W. Squires, Nelson, vice-president; Dr. K. 0. Morpeth, Wellington, chairman of executive (reelected); Mr. M. D. Macgown, Wellington, hon. secretary (re-elected). An invitation from the Otago branch to hold the next conference at Dunedin was referred to the executive with a favourable recommendation.