London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

London County Council 1951

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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111
Residential
Establishments

Table: service practitioners gave assistance. These statistics are additional to those in the preceding table.

service practitioners gave assistance. These statistics are additional to those in the preceding table.

1948194919501951
Ordinary treatment sessions645572524449
General anaesthetic sessions1112107
Number of children inspected6,7815,6485,7834,635
Number found to require treatment2,9962,3332,3552,045
Percentage requiring treatment44.2%41.3%40.7%441%
Attendances for treatment4,6884,1793,7913,427
Temporary teeth extracted1,0971,128920950
Permanent teeth extracted390271172173
Temporary teeth restored by fillings1,2021,058854699
Permanent teeth restored by fillings1,9161,5551,5471,365
Fillings in temporary teeth1,3541,116976746
Fillings in permanent teeth2,1281,7151,7081,515
Completed scalings914700583346
Temporary dressings, etc.709745511455
Local anaesthetics for extraction830832666580
Local anaesthetics for conservative treatment1337153113
General anaesthetics183163272332
Cases oompleted2,5242,3572,3631,911

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Sodium
Fluoride
treatment
and
Dental
Hygienists
The three experimental dental hygienists engaged in 1949 on the request of the
Ministry of Health continued throughout 1951 to work under the close supervision
of dental surgeons in twin surgeries. Their main activity was, as in 1950, on work in
connection with topical applications of sodium fluoride; and revisional examinations
of children so treated in 1950 were extensively advanced. Until the re-examinations
are completed in 1952-3 final figures will not be available, but a pilot survey towards
the end of 1951 indicated substantiation for the claim that topical application of 2%
sodium fluoride does materially retard the progress of dental caries. In the mouths
of the children treated with sodium fluoride and re-examined, a formidable amount
of caries requiring operative correction was found, however, and a warning note
must be sounded that sodium fluoride is not a complete preventive of this condition.

Table: In addition to their work with fluoride, the hygienists assisted treatment by instruction on oral hygiene and by scalings and polishing of teeth. Dental Hygienists—Attendances and, Treatments

In addition to their work with fluoride, the hygienists assisted treatment by instruction on oral hygiene and by scalings and polishing of teeth. Dental Hygienists—Attendances and, Treatments

19501951
Sessions1,3701,499
Number invited to attend for first treatment2,3894,188
Number invited to attend for subsequent treatment2,8514,232
Attended—first treatment2,1093,365
Attended—subsequent treatment2,6623,936
Treated—first treatment2,1043,359
Treated—subsequent treatment2,6604,033
Discharged—treatment completed1,8343,121
Discharged—failed to complete treeatment*104†
Gum treatments365395
Scalings (cleanings)3,1223,986
Polishings (of artificial restorations)1,8232,553
Oral hygiene instruction2,5624,655
Sodium Fluoride:
First application6581,220
Second „5971,170
Third „5591,102
Fourth „4941,074

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* Figures not available
† Figures for June-December