CHILDREN AND TEETH

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 257, 24 July 1920, Page 6

CHILDREN AND TEETH

Colonel Hunter (Director of School' Dental Services) gave an : interesting talk relative to dental matters at the Piunket conference yesterday. 'Dental diseases we're rampant in this country, ho said, and their ramifications were all-embrac-ing. 1 With dental diseases eliminated, many other diseases would disappear as well. The proper dieting, of the. mother before the birth of her child was most important, as it was during that period that the foundations of the child's teeth were laid. A suggestion ho would like to raako tn tlie society was that it might tako up this niosJt important matter of proper diet. The flour we were eating at the present time was almost entirely deficient in nutritive value, and most certainly was of,very little use for children. Tt might be oossible to start some kind of national health food campaign, informing the people of the country as to the best foods to obtain and ho_\v to prepare them in the homes. The highly concentrated foods people were eating were , very largely responsible for caries and general decay of the tooth'. Good temporary teeth were relatively more import- [ ant than the nermanent ones, for the reason that whilo the child had tlio former; his frame was being built up, and if they decoved and became septic, as they would, the pontic poison would affect the child's health. With good, clean temporary teeth lie had a better chance of erowing sound nerninuont teeth, as well as growing a healthy body. Pome discussion followed as '.o the nature of the foods flint should be given young children, nnd Colonel Hunter. Dr. King. a«d Dr. Wilkins were appointed a committee to ro into the mnlter and report at their leisure upon tlio question. fo'.onel Hunter was thnnked for his address.