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43
The Pre-School Child.
The total number of children referred from all sources during
the year was 862, compared with 641 in 1950. The fact that this
increase was achieved despite the closure of certain Day Nurseries
which to date have provided a useful "field" of supervision,
reflects great credit on all concerned in this work, and it is hoped
that the present position can be maintained. Though the "passing"
of these Nurseries is to be regretted, it is possible that the
inauguration of further Nursery Classes at Primary Schools will
to some extent offset these effects until the introduction of permanent
Nursery Schools.
As stated previously, the major problem in this branch of
dentistry is to gain access to these children during the critical
three to four-year period when systematic inspection should be
commenced. In practice it is found that even "enlightened"
parents are too prone to be guided by their own visual observations,
with the inevitable result that many cavities are found to
be beyond repair when eventually brought to notice. The condition
in the mouths of certain children at their first school
inspection is a constant reminder of the fact that until a far
greater degree of supervision can be exercised during the preschool
period, there can be no satisfactory solution to the problem
of safeguarding the foundation teeth.