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While a visit of this nature is valuable, providing as it
does a certain novelty of approach, the message put across needs
to be kept fresh in young minds by repetition in class. Great
importance should be attached to the need for dental health
education as part of a regular course of personal hygiene in
schools.
4. Fluoridation
Twice during the year there was an opportunity for the
Borough Council to approve the principle of fluoridation of the
public water supply. The principle was rejected on both occasions.
As it is some years sipce our neighbouring Boroughs voted in
favour of fluoridation this rejection prevents the measure being
being implemented over a wide area. Meanwhile, children s teeth
decay and the treatment services are hard pressed to meet
demands, not to mention actual needs.
If the fluoride content of the water supply were to be raised
to the optimum level, all children could be given the advantage
previously available only to those fortunate to live in areas
here natural fluoride in the water helps to prevent tooth deca\.
In this country certain areas have entered their second
decade with controlled fluoridation and the measure has proved
itself fully in practice. No hazard to health has resulted In each
case it has been followed by the expected improvement in dental
health.
In the light of this experience, it is to be hoped that when
the issue is debated again, there will be a change of thought in
Havering about one of the most important public health developments
in recent years.
5. Visit
During March, Mr. J.G. Potter, Dental Officer at the
Department of Education and Science made his third visit to
Havering to review the Borough's dental services. These visits
by a member of the Joint Dental Staff are particularly valuable as
they provide an opportunity for an evaluation to be made of the
services provided. A comparative assessment is also possible
with the School and Priority Dental Services nationally and this
serves as a useful guideline for future effort.
1 The Fluoridation Studies in the United Kingdom and the results achieved
after Eleven Years H.M.S.O. 1969.
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