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223
Principles of Dental Treatment.—In considering the
question, therefore, of dental treatment it should be noted
that the cases which the Education Committee should commence
to treat are not those in the most advanced state
of decay, but rather those in the least. The crucial age in
the life of a child's teeth is about the sixth year, when the
permanent set begins to appear. The so-called six year old
molar appears first, behind the complete set of temporary
teeth and without disturbance to them. About this age, or
generally between the ages of five and eight, children about
8,000 in number in Willesden, should have their teeth
inspected by a dentist with mirror and probe, and conservative
dentistry should be practised. This consists mainly
of "stopping," or "filling," and re-examination at
suitable intervals during school life in order to maintain the
teeth in a healthy state.
Number of Dentists Required.—It is impossible to
say how many dentists will ultimately be required in
Willesden to overtake the work indicated in the preceding
paragraph, as no authority has yet had a scheme of dental
treatment in operation sufficiently long. In Cambridge a
scheme embracing all children between five and eleven has
been in operation for six years, and two full-time dentists
are employed, the school population being 8,500. As,
however, the work of dental inspection and treatment as
outlined above is of a cumulative character as the children
grow older and remain under supervision, I would suggest
that one dentist and one nurse or health visitor be appointed
now, and the staff increased as necessity arises.
Basis of a Satisfactory Dental Scheme.—As all
schemes of treatment require the sanction of the Board of
Education I desire to quote the following in relation to
Dental Treatment from the Annual Report for 1912 of the
Chief Medical Officer of the Board of Education (p. 196
and 197).