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58
obstinate cases the Teachers are asked to assist by requiring
these children to wear their glasses when at School.
(d) Dental Clinic.
During the year three sessions per School Week were
devoted to Dental Inspection and Treatment.
In all, 18 half days were given to Inspection,and 111 to
Treatment.
When necessary, a session is devoted entirely to those
requiring a general anaesthetic, when the School Medical
Officer attends to administer the nitrous-oxide gas. There
were 139 gas cases during the year.
Mr. H. A. L. Morris, the School Dentist reports as
follows :—
The arrears of treatment, carried over from 1925, were
cleared off. During the year all the children of the new
group were inspected, and the remainder re-inspected. Every
effort was made to inspect children absent through illness,
etc., later.
The younger groups were large, and consequently the
number of children found to require treatment is still high,
but I am glad to report that the condition of the mouths of
the older children who have previously been rendered dentally
fit, is good, and comparatively few required further treatment.
Unfortunately there are a number of children, whose
parents refused the treatment when first offered, but the
number of refusals is getting less.
The condition of the teeth of these children is getting
progressively worse, and if and when they eventually present
themselves for treatment, more time has to be spent in
rendering them dentally fit, the permanent teeth requiring
large and extensive fillings, and the temporary teeth being
unsavable.
The root of the trouble is that an extraordinary number
of people mistake the first permanent molars for teeth of
the deciduous set, and are quite happy to let them decay,
on the false presumption that they will be replaced. When
their mistake is pointed out, and they are finally convinced,
they are usually anxious for treatment.
It is also explained that the deciduous teeth are given
to children for a function, and should remain in the mouth
until due to be lost naturally, between the ages of seven and
eleven, and because they will be replaced is no reason why
they should be allowed to decay unchecked, and so be lost
prematurely before their function is carried out.