View report page

TESTS FOR PHENYLKETONURIA
In 1962, 710 children were tested at the clinics and another 48 were tested in
their homes.
COMBINED ANTE-NATAL AND POST-NATAL CLINIC
526 patients made 2,268 attendances for ante-natal examination and treatment and
51 patients attended 69 times for post-natal examinations during 1962.
MOTHERCRAFT AND RELAXATION CLASSES
These classes, held by Health Visitors, proved as popular and as helpful to the
mother as ever. There were 122 sessions held during the year at which mothers made 804
attendances.
DENTAL CLINICS
The Area Dental Officer reports as follows:-
"Approximately one session per week is devoted to expectant and nursing mothers
and children under 5 years by each full-time dental officer. All forms of treatment
necessary for complete dental fitness are undertaken at these sessions, which are
sufficient to deal with the number of patients who are referred or apply for treatment.
The sessions are very useful for introducing young children to the dental clinic,
and gaining their confidence when they attend for dental examination, before any
operative work is necessary. On these occasions the children are dealt with quickly and
their visits are not marred by any unpleasant experience.
The co-operation of Medical Officers and Health Visitors has been most valuable
in securing the attendance of many patients.
Probably the most important item of dental interest in 1962 was the publication
of the Ministry of Health findings following five years test fluoridation of the water
in certain areas. The background to this matter is briefly as follows:-
Fluoride salts occur naturally in nearly all water supplies and many foodstuffs
and where it is added the object is to bring a low fluoride water up to the optimum
value of 1 part per million of water.
Extensive investigations in the United States have shown that children born and
brought up in an area with about 1 part per million fluoride occuring naturally in
the water have up to 60% less dental decay than children brought up in areas where
the water has only a trace of fluoride.
In addition about 30% of children aged 12 to 14 years have completely sound
teeth. There is also strong evidence that the benefit persists well into middle age.
In 1952 on the recommendation of the Medical Research Council the British Government
sent a mission tothetmited States and Canada to study fluoridation in operation
(40)