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 Ilford]
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64
Dental Treatment.—Mr. E. V. Haigh, the Senior Dental Officer, has
submitted the following report:—
"Owing to the continued shortage of Dental Surgeons in the Ilford
Health Area, maternity cases and children under the age of five have received
dental treatment only at Mayesbrook Clinic.
On the average, two sessions were devoted weekly, when full dental
treatment was given to expectant and nursing mothers and to children under
the age of five. These patients were referred from the ante-natal, post-natal
and child welfare clinics.
Most extractions were performed under general anaesthesia, using
nitrous oxide and oxygen, and always given by a doctor.
Conservative treatment, such as fillings, scaling and gum treatment, was
carried out on all patients who required such treatment.
Dental X-ray facilities are available at Mayesbrook Clinic, and were used
when required, often saving the patient pain and inconvenience by a much
quicker diagnosis.
Dentures were provided for expectant and nursing mothers when required.
These have been made at a local dental laboratory under an arrangement
that has been in operation many years. The work has been very satisfactory."
The number of cases treated at the clinic during 1951 is as follows:—
Examined | Needing Treatment | Treated | Made Dentally Fit | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Expectant and nursing mothers | 223 | 125 | ||
Children under 5 | 222 | 233 | 234 |
The forms of dental treatment provided were:—
Extractions | Anæsthetics | Fillings | Scaling or Scaling and Gum treatment | Silver Nitrate treatment | Dressings | Radiographs | Dentures provided | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Local | General | Complete | Partial | |||||||
Expectant and nursing mothers | 727 | 57 | 150 | 304 | 105 | 2 | 186 | 5 | 48 | 39 |
Children under 5 | 609 | 2 | 185 | 100 | 3 | — | 149 | 2 | — | — |
Total number of sessions held—132.