OUR BABIES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1931, 13 December 1913, Page 13

OUR BABIES.

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Published under tho auspices of tho Society for the Health of 'Women and Children. "It.is wiser to put up a fonco at tha top of a preoipice than to maintain an ambulance at tho bottom." NOTE.—Tho ScK-ioty strongly disapproves of the of artificial fooofl as a substitute fov mothors, or humaniocil milk. Full direutioiia lor the preparation of tho latter aro contained in tho Hooioty's puinphlet entitled "What Baby Needs." London, October 13. CHILDREN'S TEETH. (Continued.) Last week I supplied a summary of some of tho papers and demonstrations given at the Dental Section of the great International Jledical Congress in London by distinguished dental authorities, showing how decayed teeth give rise to consumption, rheumatic fever, and other grave diseases. ■ It- was agreed on all hands that oven tho, fringe ?f tho great national problem of saving tho teeth could not bo satisfactorily dealt with until a health ccnscienco was aroused, and observance of the simple rules of healthy living becomes general, especially in regard to the. rearing of children. What national bad teeth means is well conveyed in the following "Pall Mall Gazette" summary of an address by Dr. Sim Wallace, a leading authority on tho subject

STARTLING FIGURES. Dental Diseases and tho Public Health.

A discussion of far-reaching importance that was down for this morning (August 9) was that of tho relation of dental diseases to public health. Tho exhaustive report that was prepared I under, this heading by Dr. J. Sim Wallace, • honorary dental surgeon to tho West End Hospital for nervous diseases, contained startling figures:— Number of teeth decayed or lost among 40,000,000 inhabitants of tlieso islands, between 250,000,000 and 500,000,000. - Estimating the value of a sound tooth compared with a diseased one at £1, tho loss to the nation from carious teeth alono is represented by hundreds of millions of pounds. Dr. Sim Wallace helped us also to realise tho connection between diseased, teeth and other and more serious diseases. "Dreadful!" ho described tho condition that has. been revealed by tho inspection of school children's teeth, and, when considered in relation to concomitant and consequent disease, it fills us, ho said, with amazement that immediate strenuous efforts aro not being made to remedy tho existing state of affairs. The following important short rules for the prevention of decay in teeth were, suggested:— For children up to two and a half years, of age all'starchy or sugary food, except milk, should be given in a firm ,or fibrous form to stimulate mastication and promote the healthy growth of tho jaws. Broad and rusks should never bo soaked, in milk. Bread with crust (and butter) and toasted broad (and butter) should form a considerable part of tho meals. . . . If soft, starchy, or sugary food has been oaten, tho mouth and teeth can bo clcansed by food of a detergent nature. Thus, fresh fruit should bo c-aten after milk puddings, bread and jam, etc. Threo meals a day aro to bo preferred to any greater number, as tho longer thointrval the moro hygienic is the state of tho mouth and'stomach. Sweets, chocolate, or biscuit and milk should never be taken between meals -or before going to bed.' Dr. Harold Williams, an American delegate, described the method by which Boston 'hopes to oooe with the problem through'the ministrations of a dental infirmary which is now being built at a cost of .<'500,000. ■ Tho institution will educate parents, nurses, and children in tho importance of preserving the teeth, and the host means of. preventing, dental caries. Tho following rules are taken from tlie society's book, "Feeding and Care of Baby," tho now edition of which has just been issued in London by Macmillan and Comnariv:— CARE" OF TEETH. The care of the tootlr is of supreme importance, and the following rules should be strietiv attended to: — , ]. Do everything to maintain good health. (See "What- Every Baby Needs," pago'l.) -Teeth arp. built out of blood. , : . . 2. To ensure good, sound well-enamel-led, lasting teeth, the food and tho moans of feeding must be such as to compel ample exercise for mouth and jaws throughout babyhood and-. childhood. "Bring up a child in the way lie should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." The habit of slow chewing once firmlv established jn'ill tend to bo maintained for life.

3. Tho composition of tho food must he suitable —that is. adapted to the perfect building up of the structures of the body.4. Avoid the use of.long-tube feeder and dummy, and make suro that baby "works for his living." 5. Give baby a bono to r.uine'h from six months onwards. This servos to promote tho development and growth, of the jaws and teeth, and helps tho eruption of tho latter. After nine months give tough crusts, toast, otc. In tho second N.year and onwards a fair proportion of the food should be dry, firm, bard, or tough—e.g., crusts, crisped biead, toast, and raw, ripe apple. (See "Tho Apple Ttulc." page 143.) Later (when the child has been trained to masticate thoroughly), oat-cake, etc., may be given (Sfo "Far-reaching Effects of Masticatory - Exercise," pigc 146.) The exercise develops tho jaws and teeth, and thus tends to prevent dccay, overcrowding, and irregularity.

6. Teach baby to chew his food vigorously and thoroughly, taking sufficient time over -his meals. Don't allow him to bolt any of his food, whether solid or liquid, but, on the other hand, don't encourage mere dawdling. At the end of a weil-chcwcd meal the jaws should, be comfortably tired, tho flow of saliva should be ceasing, and there should be a feeling of healthy satisfaction. This constitutes tho normal check against overeating, and ensures the highest nutritive results from tho food taken, while at tho same time developing jaws and teeth for future work. 7. Hard or tough food,, if well chewed, helps to piake good teeth and to keep them sound; it also helps to cleanse them. This applies especially to raw, ripe apple, ami to all kinds of firm, fibrous fruits, and vegetables. 8. Soft foods cling to the teeth, and tend to eauso decay; therefore cakes, sweets, ordinary biscuits, chocolates, etc., should be avoided habitually, and should ou no account bo given at bedtime.. All decay commences on the outside of tho teeth, never from within; it starts in crevices in tho crowns, or between two teeth.

9. The tongue is not primarily for "talking," but is a "ma._sticatory organ," and should do a large proportion oftlio work in eating—squeezing the moistened bread out between the teeth and forcibly crushing it against the hard, roughened roof of the mouth. Further, it is practically a kind of toothbrush, which, if properly exercised am! developed, does much to clcauso tho mouth, A clean mouth ensures sweetness of breath.

10. Tlio teeth should alivays bo brushed night and morning, all tho surfaces being carefully cleansed. Tho first, or temporary, teeth, as vrell, as the permanent ones, should be brushed and carefully watched for signs of decay. In any case, the child should be taken to the dentist periodically if possible. If the first tcetli decay early there is poor chance for the second ones; but they may be saved by unremitting care and attention.