London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Willesden 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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Table No. 41.
Return showing the Number of Dental Defects referred for following up, the Number of Visits made in connection therewith and the extent to which remedial measures were carried out during 1929 at Health Visitor's last visit.
| Total number of defects coming under observation during 1929. | ||
| Brought forward from 1928 | 370 | 8,346 |
| New during year | 7,976 | |
| Number of defects treated:— | ||
| Health Centre | 2,171 | 2,335 |
| Otherwise | 164 | |
| Percentage of defects followed up which were known to have received treatment | 27.9 | |
| No report available | 158 | |
| Number of defects for which no treatment has been undertaken at Health Visitor's final visit | 5,213 | |
| Number not requiring treatment | 32 | |
| Carried forward to 1930 | 608 | |
| Number of visits made by Health Visitors | 7,848 | |
Maternity and Child Welfare.
The total number of dentally defective cases which were referred for “following up” during
1929 from various sources was 1,105, of these 368 were treated at the Health Centres, 13 by private
dentists and at hospitals, 406 received no treatment and were removed from observation while 318
were carried forward to 1930.
364 mothers and 248 children under 5 years were inspected by the dentists at the Centres.
368 received their treatment at the Centres of which number 261 were completed and 107 had their
dental condition improved but did not return to be completed.
The work includes 1,179 teeth removed, 356 teeth preserved by filling and 223 other operations
on the gums and teeth. General and local anaesthetics were administered on 315 occasions.
48 mothers received dentures, 31 of which were given free, 3 at cost price, 14 at part cost to
the patient.
Total attendances recorded by all patients was 1,596.
96 sessions were set apart for this work which gives an average of 15-6 attendances per
session.
Table No . 42.
| 1929. | 1928. | 1927. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The following table shows details of the children 0-5 inspected | 248 | 268 | 276 | |
| No. with no defect | 8 | 17 | 16 | |
| No. with decayed teeth (temporary) | Savable | 114 | 114 | 103 |
| No. with decayed teeth (temporary) | Unsavable | 187 | 136 | 150 |
| No. with decayed teeth (permanent) | Savable | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| No. with decayed teeth (permanent) | Unsavable | 1 | — | 1 |
| No. of decayed temporary teeth | Savable | 289 | 326 | 291 |
| No. of decayed temporary teeth | Unsavable | 607 | 455 | 432 |
| No. of decayed permanent teeth | Savable | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| No. of decayed permanent teeth | Unsavable | 1 | — | 1 |
Table No. 42 gives the conditions found in the 248 children inspected above, together with
the corresponding figures for the two previous years.
It shows that this group of children had 896 decayed teeth, or an average of 3*6 per child.
A similar condition to that of the previous years.
289 of them were badly decayed and needed extraction and 607 were in a lesser shade of decay
with a possibility of preservation.