THE DECAY OF TEETH.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1494, 17 July 1912, Page 8

THE DECAY OF TEETH.

.' A MATTER OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. The annual conference of the New Zea» land Dental. Association commenced its sittings in the Victoria College yesterday morning. Mr. J. N. Rishworth, of Auckland (president) occupied the chair. There were between 70 and 80 delegates present from nil'parts of tho Dominion. In his opening address, Mr. Rishworth! said that there was'no doubt that cave of' the teeth was now so •universal, nnd'uutil ,- lately tho treatment ' had been so unsatisfactory and in many instances the dentist was himself very half-hearted in his efforts to save- them, that it was small wonder that the public ' became careless, and felt-that' tho loss of their teeth was unavoidable. It was for thedental practitioners to prove that it was now no longer necessary to lose a single tooth if due and pioper care was exercised. The actual loss of a tooth was not in itself 60 important; but it was tho gradual decay continuing, with all its attendant evils, until the tooth was finally lost, which had such a detrimental effect upon the constitution of the patient. That was the position which parents altogether failed to appreciate. Last month, continued Mr. Rishworth, tho stipendiary dentist attached lo the.' Dental Hospital in. Auckland, together with a member of the honorarv dental staff, made an inspection of the'teeth of the children at a public school in Auckland. They found that out. of 190 chil. drcn examined, !)5,5 had one or more decayed teeth; only 13 had ever visited a den.list, and only 10 had ever cleaned their teeth; and the condition of joiuo of tho mouths was appalling in the extreme. :.\ largo number of these children already had their constitutions permanently undetermined by tho conditions duo to (honeglect of their teeth. What was trueof that school was, unfortunately, moro or less characteristic, of every school in NewZealand. In dental matters New Zealand wns very far behind older countries. Dental hospitals .wero so easily equipped and managed that it should be possible to establish one in every centre of 500 inhabitants. Tho cost of maintaining it would bo trilling compared to the good results which would accrue. A dental in-' spoction of school children would be of • little use (except that it would focus public attention on the deplorable condition of tho teeth) unless wo had some practical means of helping those people who were unable to pay. There wns plenty of scope for Iwquests for tho establishment of dental hospitals, which institutions would be ' of untold value to the community, and no moro deserving object could bo selected for generosity. ■ ' Tho conference will continue until Friday. On Thursday evening there will be an entertainment at which-the Prime Minister (Hon. W. F, Massev) and other members of the Ministry are expected to be nresent. • . • ; •