HEALTH OF CHILDREN

Southland Times, Issue 18847, 12 June 1920, Page 6

HEALTH OF CHILDREN

DECAY sOF TEETH. (ARTICLE PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE r EDUCATION DEPARTMENT). Of all problems relating to public health and efficiency the prevention of the decay of the teeth is second to none in impor- | tancc. Its causes may be divided into two groups—those leading to poor structure, soilness, anil weak resistance to decay on the part of the teeth themselves; and those which bring about conditions in the mouth that :u*e injurious to teeth of even the most resistive type. Both fits of causes arc essentially matters of nutrition and diet, and are mostly preventable. CAUSES OF DECAY. It is the object, of this article to call attention to some causes of the second group. Decay is immediately due to the fermentation of starchy and sugar}' food in the crevices of the teeth. This fermentation gives, rise to mi acid; and this acid dU-olves the lime of the enamel, and eventually cals through it, exposing the softer parts of the tooth to genus of decay. As long as the enamel is intact, decay is impossible. Has it been an oversight on the pan of Nature that this acid-funning fermentation should take place and destroy the enamel '! No! A study of lire function and composition of the saliva shows that this is not so. THE USE OF THE SALIVA. Healthy saliva has the power of digesting and dissolving and. therefore, of cleansing from, the teeth just that kind of food which undergoes acid fermentation. Such saliva is alkaline, and therefore at once neutralises any arid that is formed (before the fermenting fond is washed away i. These two pjoprrlics of the saliva, if sufficiently powerful, should effectually ptevent decay. Why then, docs decay o'-cur? The reason is found to a great extent in the foods we eat. EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT FOODS ON ON THE FLOW OF SALIVA. It is found that certain fi>d? have the effect of causing an abundant flow of strongly tici; \c saliva ■ strong in its tiijrtviive and elean-imr pov,cr, and .-irony in it-: anti-acid proper tics. Others have a vever-e effect. Apple- - ami orange; and oilier arid fruits are th r - ni'-st powriful of the former class; the latter eon.-Fm of most of the more modern, artificially refined and mantifaetmc.l foodstuff? l , which in more ways than one are unde - mining the physique and health of civilized peoples. KVH.S OF ARTIFICIAL FOODS. Such' foods are an over-abundance of sugar, especially in the form of .--wetts. chocolate bom;; the n:o,-! del: iat to;;-: of these ; biscuits - ami bread-, made from while dour; and other over-refined foods. All those foods besides cheeking the flow of saliva, ate pasty, ami readily slick to the teeth, and at tin - same time are easily ■fermentable, quickly giving ri-e to the dest i net tve lac-tie acid. Fitch foods a iso are deficient in mineral salts, which arc essential lor the building of banes and teeth., and in the more vital element- of nutrition, known as it amines, which 'day such a prominent part in healthy growth. THE VALUE OF FRUIT. To correct this checking of tin; protective act ion of the saliva mote acid fruit such as apples and o-;,:i.vc - • should lie eaten at the elo.-e of a me,"l. An apple, or piece of tipple, eaten at the end of ;; meal caUs-'-it copi.itK llow of idrongly am! active saliva. Fruit! how ever, is to many -especially to i (hose with large famdh - w iso r.0.-i require [ it—-a food of prohibitive expense. | THE 1- RFIT AU!D VOlTil WASH. ! A fni’t-acid mouth wash, an aniiiciai ■ form of orange juice, on I'm lines recommended by Rnift-ssor I’ickerdl, ha.- a | rimilar ctncl in slinnilcPm; a cleansing ! flow of saliva. It is very cheap and childI ren hire it immensely. In coime-; lion With 'the medic,d inspection of sc',on! children, j this mouth wash is being r,-commended, ■ Fruit, it must not, be forgot ten iias other ! valuable ptoperlier as a food beside- its ; cleansing i li'eci in the mouth. ! TOOTH BRUSH DRILL IN THE | SFHOOLS. Tooth brush drill, combined with the tt-e . thF v. a.-h is about to be it. Hinted in all school- I fining n>u. the I)..minion. It i- obtau: b!e in my m- m. to i.o shaken up with water, from r!i c mim-lq end an (XI l;,;a:|i.rv lc-.fh t with db. ns is put up with, each package. Ir i- u-d separately of in ctuijum.l.on wifi; the iitn;; ot th>teem. VITAL riSoRTmiFE OF THE CAFE OF THE TEETH, p is a w; 11 <■-1 ■ fifi-hc 1 fact limit there is without no ot V-r fee; v.dnmi ■e: ,• ; nd j.j firaiih a- dr.-ay of the icr-th. From the point of vice of appearance am! personal al l racl i vein:.--;. m avoiding stifi well a- for the 'nor - urged re::-on: of health a hralihy moiil! - F viih'.ud -a a sept ion the ; ,ji■ 1 ).- :■... r! a ;ct :! c-n e■ cr posPariils can a-si.-' gamiy to tins very de it rid • <ml by sci ;- ig , full cficc! is pirn n to lhe : 1 o', c .- lie.; - , ' !am ! KXCii A Xiil - : OF TKACH KIJS : NEW ZEALAND AND BRITAIN. At l!m meeting of the Otago 1 kiucal ion 1 Bonn! on 'lliunday a si inimu.c <1 tlit: pro . er- ini we. n ill" dotmnmn and the Home Country c-mm up for "I proven "i !. ■ -urnmaty we •• ;u v-.-ip-d as i!m recommendation.-, of a conference iv.il bit-men th-- c!.".;rm:-!i :~f th ■ L end I fir V, all.as -. tin- clnel in- ' j pu- (.fir FkmT;' 1 cm! th- .-.-cietary (Mr Perk i anl rcp’.v-mt -tiHe •ir ;.i the Otago branch o! the Nfi-.v /maiaufi iviucai ifund I::.- 1 .i 1 1 if-. The f .iio-.vii-.g an- tin- proposals; i Thai the select ion should. b<- made fn-m I young t.-achrr.- about fid to Mfi vents of : Teacher- -clerU-ii before going Home - slv tiM be given ;-i opj-or; unity of furtimr I ; p.t.fiy hi New Zealand .-.-hool- Eva!, i Now Zealand s-davd • - . I Adcf|uat- salaries should be paid -luring | their ab-ence from the dommi.ui i w( 11 a- passage money both way.-, j They should be members ni the N.Z j J-fil. Tiny would therefore !c- accredit.-.! 1 member.-. of that body and would be I likely to be better received at Home. ! Their positions in New Zealand snouhl ! be kepi’ oprn for tlc-i.-i while they are j away. llu-y should ta- entitled to till i increments in salary for iheir period of 1 absence. I Tlia; application- should be invited by ! advert i-enient, preferably i>y ilm depart - | ment (the depart no m n.e to make the | final selection i. i They should be asked to give an j undertaking lor a lat ci peitod of ser- { vice in tin- New Zealand Mate .-clioorafter their return. The substitutes for tbo.se ed should be New Zealand teachers. Hi is assumed that the British teachers visiting New Zealand woudl not be used as relieving teachers while in New /maiiuetfi Mr Horn moved 1 hut the np? should Inbetween 2o and 40 years of age. The motion wa- carried. It was also decided to delete t !r- word “young” fioiii clause 1. One fir (wo other minor alterations were made and it was then decided to forward the complete recommendations to the Education Department- as the views of the Otago Education Board.