London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
East Ham 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
This page requires JavaScript
174
Some parents are very careful in seeing that their children's
teeth are in a sound and healthy condition, and they take quite a
lot of trouble about it. Every encouragement is given to them,
and no pains are spared to explain any little point about which they
are dubious. Unfortunately this type is in the minority, one wishes
that the majority would realise the great importance to their
children of having healthy mouths. The school-child can never be
really healthy, and work as it should, if it has a mouthful of septic
and dirty teeth, poisons are absorbed into the system, doing untold
damage and impairing the working efficiency of the child.
Maternity and Child Welfare Centre.
Statistical details of the dental work done for the Maternity and Child Welfare Centres are shown in the following table:—
| No. of Sessions devoted to Treatment. | No. of Attendances. | No. of Permanent Teeth. | No of Temporary Teeth. | Total No. of Extractions. | Total No. of Fillings | No. of Administrations of General Anaesthetics. | No. of other Operations. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults | Children. | Extracted. | Filled. | Extracted. | Filled. | Permanent Teeth. | Temporary Teeth. | ||||
| 105 | 227 | 664 | 273 | 71 | 1,075 | 182 | 1,348 | 253 | 46 | 140 | 99 |
Two sessions per week have been devoted to the children under
five and the mothers referred by the Maternity and Child Welfare
Centres. Fillings are done wherever possible for the tiny children,
and the necessary teeth extracted under a local anaesthetic. The
mouths of a good number of the mothers attending the Dental
Clinic are in a very septic and dirty condition, and although they
have these teeth removed under gas, they attend once, and often
we never see them again until some time in the future when they
have a recurrence of toothache. If only these mothers would
realise the benefit to their general health, and to the future health
of their unborn children, in having clean healthy mouths, I am sure
they would take a greater advantage of all that is offered to them.
May I thank my colleague, Mr. Hall, and the two Dental
Nurses, for their complete co-operation and help during the year.
Also my thanks are due to the School Medical Officers, Nurses,
Teachers, and Clerical Staff for their valued assistance.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
CYRILS. NEAME.