OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 235, 22 June 1918, Page 5

OUR BABIES

rBT'HyGSIA.I Published under the auspices of the Royal Nsw Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Chilclren. 'It is wiser to put uy a fence at the top of a precipict- tlinn to maintain fin ambulance at the bottom." SCHOOL DENTAL EDUCATION. Mr. Miliier'ii. Article (Concluded;. The Duty of Teachers. Teachers should make their pupils thoroughly realise we necessity ox oral hygiene. Denial caries us entirely aue io outside agents, 'rue lcouth i» an ideal hatching clumber ior biiMsnal growth, i'rofteor Millar has separated out. over ICO -different forms of nwro-oiwiuiums which nourish in the moutii, ami it hua bton estimated thai of these wb have on the average live millions each. I'iirliclis ol starchy food caught in the inunuiecs of the teeth undergo acid- fei-MciiiUtiou owing to the rapid development, of the bacteria v.'hicj. batten on them. The resultant acid ot decay attacks and liecaloiiies the minute rods of which the enamel of the teeth is composed. As the hard lime salto melt away before the acid, it penetrates into the dentine 'below, liquefying mid discolouring it, and conUmiiujr it* baneful work ■ until the nulp cavity is reached ami infected. It niuut, be muijluiaieed that when'the pulp cavity is reuciied the 4 iuosl suitable time ior stuping has gone. Any schoolmaster may recognise this stage of septic infection in children as evidenced by foetid bmath, sallow complexion, and General debility. A hideous train of disaster is the direct result of infection of the pulp chamber. The pus which collects there, owinc to tho pressure of fermentation, must find r.n outlet along the line of least rcsiwnce. Hence, after diffusion into the tooth socket, it discharges through the irum into the mouth aa a gum boil. This septic infection then mixes with the ealiva and is swallowed, and may cauw severe iiiteEtinal trouble, including acpendicjitia. An Important Phase. One point of importance Unu should not be forgotten is tuu,t me hrat pei-juaueut molars appear at six years of kk'<s oeiorc tne temporary incisure' Uiß.appear. iditbe hrst pcriuuueiit teetu are irtiiuc-uUy. mistiiKeu for temporary teeth, and arc allowed, to become Hopelessly deciiyeti Uffore aavicc is sougni. liien, again, me gfowtn oi' permanent teeth' is olteii on-ected wrongly tnrough me retention uf temporary coeth. It the first set of teeth are kept from decay, Mature lor me absorption of tlicir roots at tho proper lime, but it their pulp cavitiee become infected their roots are not ajjoevbeu ami the leeth remain to obstruct the crow in 01 their pennanoitt euccessore. Acain. a. the permanent canines are eet very dtJii down in their cryptß in the ,ia\v it is necessary fur the temporary caninee to be retaiuea for their due time; otherwise the space for their succefeors is mil kept, open, bicuspids then furce the permanent canines out obliquely throusn tho gums. Tins' lack of alignment ofteo causes a hideous tusk-like disfigurement. Education on these, points can do a lot to safeguard children's teeth, Rigid Oloanliness Imperative. Above all the necessity of rigid cleanliness must bo insisted upon, 'inere 's l'.o reason \v)iy. primary school chiluron shcuid I not be taught a tooth-brush drill. The j children must grasp the necessity of hav- I Ml i-i.iiii inouuis. 'mo teevn tnoiilu oc carefully cleaned after each meal, , and i especially just before going to bed. If only one application of .the brußh a day I can be secured, let that be the met thing • of the day before retirement to bed. Some , precipitated chalk will be found a cheap and effective dentrilrico. Tho eating of chocolate, sweets, soft biscuits, or indeed any farinaceous food just before bedtime, unless followed by rigorous application of the tooth-brush, is fatal. On the o.her Khanil, apples exercise a wonderfully cleansi ing effect. In the actual brushing core must be taken that every surface of the teeth receives attention. .Effective w<rk I can be done only if tho brush is swept i. from the gums to the cutting edge of the I teeth so ae to dis|odgo all parti;lcs of I food resting in tha interstices. A c<od additional preventive of decay is the use "I a stmnd'of pill; about eight of 10 iridic; j long for passing, to and fro between the j teeth, say once a week. ThtH requires j some digital 'dexterity for its inauipu!.' l .- j lion, but will be.found to repay ifcu trnit- | ble handsomely. Aiiy teacher who nmkes it his duty to insist on the denial clm-n-. I llnoES of his pupils will confer on the I yoinicr gnneriiiion lantini; physical atlvunI tagCß, sweeten the atmosphere of his classI room, reduce nervous irritability, nud- by his example help towards His rst.v.ilish.incut of proper dental inspection ami the institution of proper dental WiTcs fur <t;r I schools.