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Total visits to clinics 28,073
Teeth filled 20,767
Teeth extracted 7,281
General anaesthetics 2,863
Emergencies 1,465
Sessions devoted to treatment 4,600
Specialist orthodontic treatment for "straightening" the teeth (overcrowding,
malformation of jaws and teeth, etc.) is available at four of the dental clinics, and
in parts of the Borough private practitioners also like to refer children for the
opinion of our orthodontists. The selection of patients who will maintain the proper
degree of interest and co-operation over a period of two years or more is vital as the
treatment is quite expensive of time and material. "Wastage" of patients, usually
through declining interest and lack of co-operation in wearing their appliances, is less
than 2% which is well below figures quoted in other parts of the country.
In 1948 the Ministry of Education started a quinquennial survey of dental caries in
5 to 12 year old children in seven local authorities. Southall was one of the areas
which was concerned in the Middlesex part of the survey, and at each survey since that
date Miss Cameron has been the dental officer who has carried out the survey here, and
she has continued with the survey in 1969. A review of the results will be in the next
edition of the Health of the Schoolchild.
DENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION
One aspect of the dental auxiliaries' work in dental health education, which has
been found to be especially useful, is to give individual instruction at school dental
inspections to those children whose dental hygiene is inadequate. These lessons are
followed up after a couple of weeks to see what improvement has resulted. Our one
auxiliary can only cover a limited area of activity, and her effort has to be used where
the need seems greatest. Accordingly, among others, the children attending special
schools have seemed especially in need of this extra care. Children do not seem to lack
toothbrush and paste, this is now rarely the case, but they are too lax and ill-instructec
in using them.
PREVENTION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE
The School Health Service, in conjunction with the Council's other health services,
is responsible for the control of all infectious disease in schools.
Regulations as to infectious disease
These Regulations are based on current Ministry of Health policy and set out the
types of infectious disease together with exclusion periods. All head teachers have a
copy.
HEALTH EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
Health Visitors now undertake regular sessions of Health Education in both junior and
senior schools. Those involved with senior school talks have been on day-release
Teaching courses at Chiswick Polytechnic.
School Leavers' Course
Southall Grammar Technical School held a further school leavers' course in July, and
the Health Department was invited to assist. Members of Health Department gave
lectures and the course ended with a series of discussion groups and an open forum.
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