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76
session of the furniture is contingent on the regular payments of the
instalments. To illustrate the correctness of this comparison
and the importance of providing facilities for the dental treatment
of children who have passed the usual school leaving age of
14 years, figures have been obtained during the past year of the
dental treatment required by certain children attending the Central
School whose ages ranged from 14—16 years at the time of inspection.
For the purpose of this examination only those children
were included who had in former years always accepted treatment
when notified that it was necessary. It was found that even
when the teeth of children undergo regular conservative treatment,
as required, up to the age of 14 years, more than 61 percent, of
such children are in need of further treatment before they have
attained the age of 16 years.
During the past year arrangements were made for the administration
of nitrous oxide gas anaesthesia for the extraction of teeth.
Extractions had previously been carried out under local
anaesthesia only. Local anaesthestics, however, are frequently
not suitable, especially in the case of nervous children or when
septic conditions are present.
Many parents had expressed a wish that their children should
be given a general, in preference to a local anaesthetic and there can
be no doubt that the institution of regular gas sessions will render
the school dental scheme more popular and more efficient.
The Chief Medical Officer of the Board of Education in a recent
annual report requested that school dentists should note the number
of children aged 12—13 years at the time of inspection, who had
always been free from dental caries, and that certain information
should be sought respecting their diet, habits of life and other
factors that might tend to explain their immunity to dental disease.
An endeavour has been made during the past year to comply
with this request, but of 898 children examined aged 12—13 years
only eleven were found whose teeth, both temporary and permanent,
had never been attacked by dental caries. Particulars respecting
nine of these children are submitted. Of the two remaining children
it was not found possible to obtain information on which reliance
could be placed.
Girl. No. 1. Breast fed for 8½ months.
Girl. No. 2. Bottle fed on Allenbury's Food for 10 months.
Girl. No. 3. Breast fed for 9½ months.
Boy. No. 4. Bottle fed on Allenbury's for 9½ months.
Boy. No. 5. Breast fed for 8½months.
Boy. No. 6. Breast fed for 4½ months, then on cow's milk.
Orange juice taken daily.