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37
DENTAL SERVICE (MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE)
W.G. Everett Esq., L.D.S.,R.C.S.,(Eng.), Principal Dental Officer
The duty of the Authority to provide dental treatment for expectant
and nursing mothers and pre-school children is derived from the National
Health Service Acts. It offers such patients some guarantee of free
treatment. This is not possible in the General Dental Services, where
practitioners are not obliged to accept any particular person as a patient.
The efforts of the dental staff continue to be aimed at the prevention
of dental disease, and to achieve this dental health education must play
an increasingly important part in the functions of the service. Many
parents still are not aware of the harm that can be caused to the first
teeth by the uncontrolled consumption of refined carbohydrates; these
include not only sweets but also cakes, biscuits, ice-creams and other
confections of the civilised society. The increased affluence of the
population generally and the constant television advertisements for
"between meal snacks", etc., make it difficult for parents to resist their
children's demands for such harmful foods. The practice of giving babies
"dummies" dipped in honey, or dinky-feeders filled with sweetened vitamin
syrups, may produce a contented child at the time, but causes
rampant decay in the front teeth and leads to pain and tears later.
Dental caries is the most prevalent disease of civilisation. Of the
864 pre-school children first inspected during the year 46.7% needed
treatment, and of those re-inspected 49% were found to require a further
course of treatment. These figures are very similar to those calculated
for school children during the year and provide confirmation of the need
for frequent and regular dental inspection and treatment.
The birthday scheme mentioned in the last Report has been started
at the Sanderstead dental centre. During the first six months of the
scheme 130 cards were sent to the parents of three year old children
advising them of the need for early inspection and treatment. An appointment
was offered to those who were not already attending a private
practitioner. 13 replied that they were attending their own practitioner or
were unable to attend on that particular date; 77 did not reply, and 29
attended. This is an acceptance rate of 22% and compares well with that
of 24% for the schools served by that clinic. The scheme is completely
new to the area and the attendance shows signs of improving as it becomes
better known.
Dental health education talks have been given to mothers at various
Toddlers Clubs. Considerable interest is shown in the material presented,
and those parents who are unaware are informed of the facilities available
for the care of their children's teeth, and of the need for proper diet
and tooth cleaning.