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National Health Scheme, or from the clinics. For those children who
show a marked tendency to dental disease, the clinics are able to offer the
recommended four-monthly check and treatment where necessary.
It is pleasing to note that the need some years ago to hold two gas
extraction sessions per week in each clinic now no longer applies, as more
teeth are being saved. It has also proved unnecessary for every clinic to
hold regular weekly gas sessions as emergencies can now be catered for by
one gas session per week in the Borough, so that no child need suffer
prolonged pain. This emergency session is held at each dental clinic in
turn on a rota basis. For those requiring more urgent attention, provision
can be made for an immediate extraction with administration of the
anaesthetic by individual arrangement.
From the point of view of dental care, it is very gratifying to know
that the Borough Council has agreed to the fluoridation of water supplies
when this is possible. Eventually, this should make a marked improvement
in the state of dental health.
Priority Dental Service
In addition to the inspection and treatment of expectant and nursing
mothers, and pre-school children, during March and April arrangements
were made for Mr. M. A. Young, Lecturer in Children's Dentistry at the
Royal Dental Hospital, London, to carry out a dental survey of 3 and 4
year old children in our three nursery schools. One of his findings was that
67-7% of the 3 year old children examined were caries-free, but in the
4 year old group, this figure dropped to 49-5%. A system has now been
introduced whereby all pre-school children attending the dental clinics
are recalled at four monthly intervals, until they enter infants' school and
become eligible for the routine dental inspections.
Dental Health Education
Owing to the many changes taking place during the year, there was no
special dental health education event. Advice on oral hygiene was given
at routine dental inspections, and at the chairside, to patients and to
parents if present.
In October, a talk was given by Mrs. A. Smith on care of the teeth
in a programme of lectures given to senior girls at Blackwell Secondary
Modern School. Considerable interest was shown by the many questions
asked.