CARE OF CHILDREN'S TEETH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7843, 8 June 1905, Page 3

CARE OF CHILDREN'S TEETH.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 7. At this afternoon's sitting of Ihq Dental Conference, Mr F. \\. Thompson read a paper on children's teeth, being a plea for their better care andi preservation. In this paper he pointed to the consequences of parental n&s';ect and ignorance of the principals of hygiene, some of the results o£ which he enu eratcd. At Christqhurch rcicently- he examined the teeth) of 10{j children attending a primary school. Of theso only one child had all its tceih. .sound). By immediate attention the teeth of about 40 per cent, of these children might saved ; the rest were too far gone tq tuhuit of really treatment of a consfjrMaitive character. Hq recommended thai the systematic examination of the teeth of 'childrcn| by competent dentists employed by the school authorities' should be practised where possible to prevent curies extending, to stop carious teeth, and to remedy defects of teeth. During the discussion which followed the reading, of the paper, several opinions were expressed as to the causes whiqh have led to thq spread. of dental caries among children. Meat, white bread, the artificial feeding of babies, "want of care and cleanliness, all these were blamed. It w'as resolved that a deputation wait on th© Minister for EducarV'on, and urge , upon him the necessity of carrying out the recommendations Mr Thompson had made.