Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
This page requires JavaScript
60
945 mothers and infants were inspected by the dentists during the year. 318 were brought
forward from the previous year, making a total of 1,263. All received treatment and were completed.
135 commenced treatment at the Centres and were removed from observation without being completed.
This latter figure includes all those who left the district or through illness were unable to
attend again, as well as those who merely wished to be relieved of any teeth causing discomfort,
and did not desire to have done all that was necessary to obtain a healthy mouth.
320 mothers and 139 infants did not accept any form of dental treatment in spite of their
being badly in need of it; 15 were treated elsewhere other than the Centres. 30 (1 nursing mother
and 29 infants) were found on inspection to be in a healthy condition, and 231 were carried forward
to 1931. The work included the removal of 2,745 teeth, of which number 970 were from the mouths
of the young children. 537 fillings and 431 other operations. 522 patients received general, and 65
local anaesthetics. 61 mothers were supplied with dentures, 38 free of cost and 23 at part cost.
2,345 attendances were recorded by all patients. The time devoted by the dentist to complete this
work amounted to 284 half-day treatment sessions.
The statistical Table No. 44 relates to the condition of the teeth found in infants under five
years on the first examination by the dentist. It shows that out of a total of 443 children, 29 or
7 per cent, only were free from caries. That 296 children had decayed and septic teeth requiring
extraction, and that the 386 defective children had an aggregate of 1,486 decayed teeth, or 3-8
per child.
Table No . 44.
The following table shows details of the children 0-5 inspected | 443 |
No. with no defect | 29 |
No. with decayed teeth (Temporary) savable | 117 |
No. „ „ „ ( „ ) unsavable | 296 |
No. „ „ „ (Permanent) savable | 0 |
No. ,, ,, ,, ( ,, ) unsavable | 0 |
No. of decayed temporary teeth savable | 312 |
No. „ „ „ unsavable | 1,174 |
No. „ permanent „ savable | 0 |
No. ,, „ „ unsavable | 0 |
No. referred for treatment | 414 |
No. treated by other agencies | 13 |
Total of Maternity and Child Welfare Sessions | 284 |
Table No. 45 is a summary of the Health Visitors' work 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 1930.
Total number of defects coming under observation during 1930 (new cases and re-examination)
:—
Table No . 45.
0—5 | E.M. | N.M. | Total. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brought forward from 1929 | 57 | 56 | 205 | 318 |
New during year | 473 | 320 | 394 | 1,187 |
Total | 530 | 376 | 599 | 1,505 |
No. of visits made by Health Visitors | — | — | — | 1,370 |
No. of defects treated—Health Centres | 285 | 99 | 129 | 513 |
Otherwise | 13 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
No. of defects for which no treatment was undertaken | 164 | 215 | 187 | 566 |
Carried forward, 1931 | 68 | 61 | 182 | 311 |
Table No . 46.
The Total Year's Work by the Dentists. Maternity and Child Welfare and School children combined :—
Teeth removed | 14,421 |
Fillings | 5,837 |
Other operations | 1,916 |
General anaesthetic cases | 3,037 |
Patients inspected | 18,069 |
Patients treated | 4,638 |
Treatment sessions | 1,347 |
Inspection sessions | 357 |