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213
Dental Treatment of Maternity and Child Welfare Patients.
Expectant and nursing mothers and young children requiring
treatment are referred by the Medical Officers attending the ante;ind
post-natal Clinics.
The dental surgeons also visit the Centres and give talks to
mothers and inspect the teeth of young children.
It is to be regretted that it was impossible to visit all the
Centres during the year, as these visits afford the dental surgeon
a unique opportunity of educating the mothers in dental matters.
EXPECTANT MOTHERS.
Month of pregnancy at which mother first examined : —
Up to 3 4-6 7 & 8
months. months. months.
% of cases seen in 1932 10.3 53.9 35.8
,, ,, 1933 12.9 56.7 30.4
The above table shows that there is a decided improvement
in the number of mothers who attend in the early months of
pregnancy. A study of the table shows that 69.6% were examined
and treated before the seventh month, compared with 64.2% in
1932. There appears to be every indication that women are
beginning to realise the value of dental treatment before the child
is born.
It is, of course, unfortunate that treatment has to be obtained
during pregnancy, but as the majority of mothers have not had
previous opportunities of having their teeth treated dental attention
at such a time is inevitable. In most cases mothers have
marked oral sepsis, and it is essential that dental disease should
be eradicated to prevent a menace to the mother's health and that
of the unborn child.