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52
(i) Examinations of the mouth by a dentist appear in
themselves to influence dental awareness and improve
oral hygiene although there were indications that
improvements noted in the control group probably
resulted from close daily contact with the study
group.
(ii) The children in the study group showed a greater
improvement than those in the control group in both
oral hygiene and condition of gums. this improvement
being more marked between older children in the two
groups .
(iii) Improvements in oral hygiene were more marked than
improvements in gum condition.
(iv) The improvements in oral hygiene noted in the study
group were more marked in the older children than
in the group as a whole,, whereas this situation was
reversed in the control group.
(v) There was no indication that the letters to the
parents had any significant effect, the improvements
noted apparently resulting largely from the children's
own initiative.
The results of this study suggest that the issuing of dental packs
appears to be a useful preventive measure and for maximum effect should
be combined with a dental examination and dental health education. The
younger children in the groups studied seem unable to benefit materially
from the form of dental health education presented in this survey and
are probably unable to clean their teeth effectively in any event; the
indication is that a better time for issue of dental packs would be when
children leave infant schools to enter the juniors.