CHILDREN'S TEETH

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2646, 17 December 1915, Page 9

CHILDREN'S TEETH

EXPERIMENT AT NEWTOWN SCHOOL. ■ 'A roport on investigations made into tho condition of the teeth of the children attending Newtown School by the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Dental Association was _ presented to the Wellington Education "Board at Wednesday's meeting. The number of children examined was 836, and the examiners report that "tli6 general conditions revealed were very Far' from satisfactory; indeed, in the majority of cases the condition of the mouth was a serious menace to the future of the child's health. The ages of the children varied from five years to fourteen j-ears, and only two children had perfect teeth, while only 27, or 3.23 per cent.. *were not in present need of dental attention. No fewer than 116 children, 13 per cent, of the total number, had sinuse, or ''gum-boils," discharging into their mouths." Other details wore as follow: — 280 children, or 33.49 per cent., had Most a first permanent molar. 297 children, or 35.4 per cent., suffered from mal-occlusion (failure of the teeth to register properly). 3 children were without a single sound tooth. On an. average each child required 3.2 teeth filled and 3.04 teeth extracted. The total number of fillings required was 2652, of which 1351 wero for girls and 1301 for boys. The total number of extractions required was 2546, of which 1323 were for boys and 1223 for girls. The report refers to the dangers to health in connection with bad teeth. The presence of decayed teeth in the moutli means a discharging of poisonous matter, which is liable to undermine the constitution, and inability-to masticate 1 effectively, leading to indigestion. ."Reforenco has been made to malocclusion, which means that the teeth of the oliild suffering from this trouble do hot meet as they should to permit of efficient chewing or mastication," adds the report. "We have, also re ferred to the loss in 33.49 per cent of the children of a first permaneni molar, This tooth (probably the mosi important in the head) has the distinci function to perform of holding the jaw: open during the time when the chilc is losing tlie first, or deciduous, teeth The similarity of the percentages relat i ing to mal-occlusion and the loss o! these teeth, tends to confirm, if, indeed ) it does not ,prove, "the already well • known theory that the loss of one or al of these teeth , results in the dental arcl being badly formed, and consequently facial deformity. Tlie first four perma nent molars appear at from five to sevei years, and on account of this very fet . parents are aiware that they are mean to be permanent teeth, and that specia pains should be taken to conserve thi tooth, which is well named 'the key stone of the dental arch.' " f _ The hoard decided to take time to con a sider the report.