DENTAL TREATMENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 337, 26 September 1932, Page 6

DENTAL TREATMENT

THE CHILD'S TEETH EARLY ATTENTION ADVOCATED DY DISTRICT DENTAL SUPERINTENDENT. NECESSARY FOR HEALTH In a letter read at last week's meeting of the Rotorua Dental Clinic Comrnittee, Mr. F. B. Rice, District Dental Superintendent of the Department of Health, has some interesting and instructive remarks upon the necessity for the early treatment of the ehildren's teeth. Mr. Rice says: — I understand that there is an element of doubt in the minds of some parents in Rotorua as to the need for filling work on the first, or deciduous, teeth -of children. That such a doubt exists is but a sign of lack of knowledge, for it is now generally accepted that the proper functioning of these teeth for the full normal period is not only necessary for the development of the child's face and permanent teeth, but for its future health. In the first place, it should be made clear that the department's dental nurses endeavour, where possibl-e, to restore by filling work, the normal shape and contour of teeth which would otherwise be defective in this respect owing to dental decay. A child with decayed teeth is subject to toothache, and, apart from the injurious effects of swallowing poisons from these decayed teeth; there is the tendency to improper mastication because the teeth are sore. Thus, the food is bolted and the foundations are laid for digestive disturbances

which may, in time, cause serious disorders. Again, the swallowing of toxins from decayed teeth assists in lowering the child's vitality and its consequent resistance to disease generally. Some of the direct effects of premature loss of the first teeth (which will inevitably occur unless active steps are taken to checlc decay) are briefiy:— 1. The loss of space in the jaws. This means that when the second permanent teeth erupt they are overcrowded and consequently liable to more rapid decay, besides being very unsightly. 2. Loss of -stimulation to normal growth of the jaw bones. It is a matter of common observation to the dentist that where teeth are lost too early, improper mastication results. This means that the jaws are not functioning normally and that the full mus-

cular play on the jaws is lacking. Consequently, the bones of the jaws fail to develop normally, causing unsightly overcrowding of the second set. 3. Improper growth of the bones of the face. Owing to the lack of full function by the museles of mastication, which are attached to the bones of the face, these bones also fail to develop properly, and, instead of a normal rounded face, one sees all manner of deformity — sunken cheeks, buck teeth, protruding jawrs, etc. It will readily he seen that these reasons alone should be sufficient to convince the average parent that no risks must be taken with a child's first teeth. It should be remembered also that some of these teeth' are not normally lost until the child is ten years of age or older. Therefore it is not for a few months only that they are required for that important function — mastication — but for many years. In many cases it has been found that abcesses on the first teeth have s ;riously injured the developing second teeth, which lie, licerally, between the I'oots of the first set. I trust that these few points will be sufficient to arouse parents to the fundamental importance of the first teeth. As Sir Arthur Newsholme has said, "Measures directed to improving child health are more fruitful than any others in securing adult fitness for a useful life."