A DENTAL SCHEME.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 12 May 1919, Page 4

A DENTAL SCHEME.

" l "' ) FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN. j A VALUABLE SUGGESTION. (From the “Chronicle.”) A scheme for the dental treatment of school children was submitted to the Levin District High School Committee at Tuesday evening's meeting by Mr D. S. of Levin. In addition to.his scheme, Mr Mackenzie 's remarks generally were of considerable interest, the principal point being that preservation of the teeth in, the child by proper care and attention was better than any kind of treatment applied too late. The speaker was introduced by the chairman of the committee (Hr Thomson), who said tire carp of children’s teeth was a subject that was causing some concern at the present time. Preservation of the Teeth. Hr Mackenzie said: There is need for some form of regular treatment that will have for its object the preservation of our children’s permanent tooth. This problem is so largo am! difficult to deal with in a systematic manner that one can only hope to accomplish a little at a lime so that the disease may be kept in check as much as possible. The saving of children's first teeth is a very desirable tiling also, and I trust that a Jit lio later on ,ve niav be aide to deal with the. dis-

■aso systematically at. this period of childhood. But as the saving of our permanent teeth comes ’before anything, else in dentistry it is my intention to confine my efforts to this one thing until it is rewarded with some measure of success—for if we fail here we fail right along the line. The decanal is therefore for a campaign of prevention that all too forcibly suggests itself. This matter has become no of such seriousness and of sueh 'uaguitude that any reasonable treatifiit for its prevention and elimination ■alls for greater support. It is especially necessary just now (having in mind what the world has recently lost in human beings) that we should alk do what lies in our power to make 1 lie most of those now growing tip. It is partly my privilege to be in a position perhaps to help thg. rebuilding of the world in a very small degree along this coast. Jr is in this spirt that I desire to Jay before you a system that will, I believe, materially help to save the permanent teeth of the rising generation, making them to that extent better men and women. I do not seek any emolument, and will undertake to train men or women to carry out the work for which a fee would have to be made, the treatment to be self-supporting. Approximately £SOO will be required to commence operations for one year.

Briefly I will state the plan intended to lie adopted. The object of the service primarily is the saving of the permanent teeth. We must therefore taku the small patient in hand at the Unit* when these teeth first make their appearance, and that is at six years of age. or when they are usually in the First Standard. Now at this age develops four of the most important teeth that we possess. They erupt at the back of the mouth in such a position that, they not only perform a great function iii respect to.the mastication

of our food, but they also perform the function, as it were, of an usher, showing nil the succeeding teeth as they

,-H'upt to their respective places. Important S's tli«e teeth arc for purposes of mastication, theT a lt vei ? greater value as ushers, and t tliesO

teeth are lost, and this is the great point—the point that should stimulate us to action- —the knowledge that if they are lost before that child reaches 12 then that child will never have its teeth in correct alignment and will therefore never have a fair chance, of masticating its food thoroughly. But keep these teeth by hook or by crook until the child is 12 years old, tha* is until an age when all the teeth’except the wisdom teeth are erupted, and the will at least have correct articulation. It ‘s then, you will observe, that we intend to routine our attention to the child, from <i to 12 years, or one might say. right through their public school career. Having hi mind always that prevention is our watchword, we must take

such steps as lie in our power to promise it. Now all decay of teeth starts from the outside, from a little tiny speck that quickly develops and cats its way through the enamel and. if neglected, destroys the tooth, with all

its accompanying pain. Mow this tiny speck originates through particles of food becoming lodged on or between our teeth and through subsequent decomposition producing the agents that bring about their ultimate destruction, but if we take care to clean our teeth night and morning we remove many of these particles and it consequently gives the teeth a much better chance of escaping decay.

Mow. in order to combat these ravages constant watchfulness followed by treatment when necessary, is. I believe, the only way to deal with this problem. We intend to commence with Standard'l.; v. my be able to take Standard 11. as well. This will be undertaken the first year. An inspection will be made of children of those parents desirous of treatment at least three''times a year, to be followed by such service as is necessary for the salvation of their permanent health. Xoxt year rhesc children will have moved up a grade, but they will still be kept under observation as when in Standard 1-.. and so on right tifrough their school career. But to be successful we must start with them at Standard I. If it is possible to take Standards I. and 11.-to commence with, it would mean then that the whole schocd would bo in hand in five wears.

I would point out that So per cent of our ten-year-old children have today either lost these teeth entirely or they are so far gone us to be entirely beyond saving. I am hopeful that with the inauguration of the form of treatment briefly outlined, in a short

space, of time So per cent of our ten-year-old.children will have these teeth doing good work.' As- you arc well aware, the Department have had inspectors examining the children’s • teeth lately, but if this is not to be followed by treatment where is the benefit derived? l"ou will notice I men- • tioned that decay was kept away large- j )v by cleansing the teeth. Let it therefore be. the children’s duty to the dentist to take all reasonable care to clean their teeth. Let it be the teach- . or’s duty to the dentist to sec that the j children do clean their teeth. And it will be in the same rato the dentist’s j duty to the children, to take all reason- j able care to save their teeth. Financing the Scheme. Mr Thomson ftsked how the inspection would'be carried out and the probable cost to the parents. Mr Mackenzie said some person specially trained would come round to see tue state in which the children’s teeth were: A chart would be kept and every child’s name wo'uld be entered, and if anything was required it would be re- ; ported in the book. A dentist would [ follow and do the work required. The cost would be about £1 per year per child. Mr Mnckeuzie estimated the cost of:the.scheme at £SOO per year for the district between Paraparaumu and Shannon —a dentist at. £.IOO a year and incidental expenses £IOO. That would \ require 5.00 children at £1 each. ? Mr Thomson asked if the scheme , V. o-.ihl be confined to .Standard I. I Mr Mackenzie said by working that j w ' a y it would allow of more uniform j work being done. Kverv year lrcsh i children would come in, while those _ yi ho went to Standard 11. would eonj tiaue under observation, r In veplv to a question Mr Mackenzie ■ sidd one* dentist could attend to the j children whom they would expect to t !-■:;• j provided they were kept in hand land were not allowed to get beyond

Mr Cork said the scheme of inspection at the schools had done a lot ol good, but apathy was shown by parents. Mr Mackenzie said he- thought parents would take more interest. if there was a small financial liability on them such as the present dental stlieme would entail. Mr Broome suggested communicating with other schools in order to find out what number ol children would require 1 reatment.

Mr Mackenzie said the children would be inspected at their own schools, but the centres for treatment would be at Waikanae, Otalti; Levin and Shannon, the smaller centres being taken in lit either one of those four places. To launch the scheme it would be necessary to guarantee 500 children at £1 each for the first year.

It was suggested that half-yearly payments might be made, and Mr Mackenzie said that could certainly be arranged. He added that he was in communication with AVaikanae and a large number of parents had arranged to meet him there.

In acknowledging a hearty vote of thanks moved by Mr Cork and seconded bv Mr Short, Mr Mackenzie said he intended interviewing the committees in oilier portions of the district, and , would inform the Levin committee of | the result.