CARE OP THE TEETH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1800, 12 July 1913, Page 9

CARE OP THE TEETH.

—. —$ A NATIONAL MENACE. DENTAL EVIL DISCUSSED. Tho determination of The Dominion to afford assistance to the New Zealand Dental Association in carrying out its campaign of enlightening tho populace in regard to the importance of conserving the teeth of tho rising generation met with warm approval at tho Dental Conferenco yesterday. Members expressed the opinion that with the press eagnged in an educational propaganda, the self-iinposed labours of those engaged in this work will bo lightened, and tho objective of a national health -movement helped forward with leaps and bounds. - In conversation with Dr. Cox, president of tho association, several important points; were made clear. '.Tho association came into being nine years ago. Before that tho dentists were all pulling different ways, without objective and without ideals. Now the annual conference is eagerly looked forward to as a. means of blunging the members together for mutual intercooirso and education. A great deal of laboratory work is done, ami papers are read and. .discussed;.in such a way as to afford amount of mutual information. "I havo*'heard it stated that tho association is a close corporation," said Dr. Cox. "To that I wish to givo an emphatic denial. As far.as I know, no con-, l'erence has ever yet discussed tho question of fees. Our deliberations have been, directed towards increasing our individual and collectivo efficiency, and it is impossible for one of uur members to go away from a conference without picking' up a lo.rgo amount of information in regard to more rccont methods of dental surgery. This is not only advantageous to them, but to tho public, who aro their patients. A significant result is that our conferences show a larger and moro enthusiastic attendance every successivo year." " This influence- has had tho effect of .broadening tlio outlook of tho dentists of tho Dominion,. and to its. influence may bo traccd the school movement ; of wliich wo havo heard so much of late. The very serious condition of the teeth of tho children of our public sohools was one of tho first things that impressed itself upon tho attention of the association, and no annual meeting has taken place in recent years without somo striking pronouncement being issued as to tho importance of this health factor from a national point of view. "I have no hesitation in saying, - ' declared Dr. Cox, "that defective teeth are' responsible for a very largo amount of the. disease from which the young of tho community suffer. Tho vitiated condition of tho mouth always implies tho presence of inflammatory products. These products can only bo absorbed in one way. They aro absorbed in minute quantities into tho system in the form of septic matter. This continuously operating affects the health, growth, and vigour of the child, rendering it not only chronically unhealthy, but always peculiarly susceptible to any form of disease which might bo prevalent. Now, a growing child wants all tho nutriment which can bo got out of its food.- This nutriment obviously cannot bo obtained by a child with a mouth full of broken,'diseased, and neglected teeth. "A great many experiments havo been made proving by demonstration that tho mental and physical efficiency of a child before and after receiving dental attention varies to an astonishing extent. What is tho use of imparting .physical drill to our boys and girls unless their bodily health lia's just Ixien ensured in this essential particular? The problem to bo grappled with is an immense one from a national point of view. Recognising, this, wo have now, iD compliance with a wish expressed by tho Minister for Public Health, made our proposals for Stato aid as liioderato ns possible. Wo havo submitted an alternative schenic to tho Government, under which it is suggested that J27OD should ba voted annuallv for each of tho larger centres. This'allows .£l5O for rent and ,£550 for current expenses. It is a moot point as to how many boys and girls 0110 Stato dentist can thoroughly look after per annum. The estimates vary from ono to two thousand. > "We aro so impressed with the dental evil," said Dr. Cox, in conclusion, "that wo can't get it off our minds, and wo mean to keep 011 urging it before tho powers that be, both State and local. The peculiar position is that what at present iis a necessity for well-to-do people is a luxury for a very considerable section of the population, yet when we remember that tho health of the multitude is inevitably bound up with that of the individual it must l>o recognised that tho- problem is one from which nobody having the interests of the nation at heart can afford to stand aloof."