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96
Defective Teeth- Dental Treatment.
Over 40 per cent. of all the children examined had one
or more decayed teeth, the average number of decayed teeth
per case being about three.
It has become increasingly apparent from the results of
medical inspection throughout the country that the care of
the teeth must occupy a premier place in any scheme of
medical treatment adopted by School Authorities. The importance
of the subject needs no emphasis, but when the
amount of work to be done is considered, one is tempted to
think that, on acoount of the very great expense, the proposition
is impossible. To at once begin treatment of cases of
dental defect at all ages would require a large staff of dentists,
but to attack the problem more from a preventative than curative
standpoint is the course that has been adopted. With this
end in view the Committee appointed Mr. Heydon, L.D.S.,
as their part-time School Dentist, and he took up the duties
of the office in August. It has been decided to confine treatment
to the younger children, under the age of 9 years. It
does not appear to be generally known that the first "per
manent" teeth appear at the age of six. They are known as
the "six-year molars," and appear behind the "milk" teeth.
A child often has 24 teeth at the age of six, 20 of these being
the "milk" set and 4 the first of the "permanent" ones. It
is frequently contested by parents, however, that they are all
the first set and decay does not matter.
Children between six and eight years are being examined
by the Dentist in all the schools, and if any of the permanent"
teeth need "stopping" the parents are notified and given an
opportunity of conferring with the School Medical Officer as
to the provision of treatment, and an appointment with the
Dentist may be subsequently made. A dental room has been
equipped at Squires Lane School, and Mr. Heydon gives one
afternoon a week to this work. Records of every child treated