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104
DENTAL TREATMENT.- Mr. E. V. Haigh, the Senior Dental
Officer, has submitted the following report:—
"Dental treatment continued to be available during 1964 at
two clinics in the Ilford Area for any expectant or nursing mother
and for children under 5 years old. The two clinics being Mayesbrook
and Kenwood where full dental facilities were available to any
mother or small child wishing to receive dental treatment or advice.
1 am pleased to say that the number of mothers that received
dental treatment increased during 1964 by 12%. This is the first
time for several years that there has been an increase in demand
for treatment by the mothers. This increase has been due to dental
health education which has taken place mainly in the clinics by
Medical Officers, Health Visitors and Dental staff. The main reason
for fewer mothers wishing to attend clinics has been the National
Health Service. Most young mothers have become very dentally
minded and attend their private practitioners regularly and so prefer
to continue whilst pregnant or nursing. Another reason was the
removal of denture cost of these patients under the National Health
Service.
The number of children under 5 examined and treated in the
clinics increased by 60%. This very satisfying result was also due
to dental health education.
Mr. Hodgson arranged dental displays and gave talks to mothers
usually in the welfare centres. He has obtained considerable number
of varied leaflets and posters to try and maintain the parents interest
in their children's teeth. The need to get many more of the under 5
children to receive regular dental care must be one of our main aims
in the future. It is by teaching dental health from a very early age
that the importance of good teeth and oral hygiene may be realised.
Medical Officers and Health Visitors have helped considerably by
encouraging mothers to bring their children to the clinics from an
early age. Mr. Wilson at Kenwood Clinic has also worked hard to
build up these sessions with great success.
I continued with one evening session per week at Mayesbrook
Clinic for mothers who find it difficult to attend during the day.
Extraction of teeth for children were usually performed under a
general anaesthetic. Mothers, however, often prefer a local
anaesthetic for themselves. I have noticed this has increased over
the past few years. This fact suggests that they are now not so
worried by dentistry as they used to be.