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 Walthamstow]
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TREATMENT.
No. of Children. | Attendances. | Extractions. | Anaesthetics. | Fillings. | Other Operations | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Temp. Teeth. | Perm. Teeth. | Local. | General. | Perm. Teeth. | Perm. Teeth. | ||||
Sir George Monoux Grammar School | 54 | 195 | 14 | 35 | 2 | 29 | 154 | 26 | |
Commercial School for G irls | 110 | 446 | 9 | 76 | 8 | 60 | 520 | 134 | |
High School for Girls | 48 | 95 | 6 | 43 | 1 | 29 | 82 | 24 | |
Technical College for Boys | 28 | 67 | — | 15 | — | 14 | 81 | 15 | |
Totals | 1937 | 240 | 803 | 29 | 169 | 11 | 132 | 837 | 199 |
1936 | 225 | 433 | 25 | 132 | 7 | 106 | 459 | 115 |
Owing to the large number of pupils requiring treatment, no
dental inspections were possible during 1937 at the Boys' Schools.
The position was aggravated by applications for treatment being
received independently of dental inspections. The large increase in
the number of attendances and in the number of permanent fillings
will be noticed.
Mr. L. W. Elmer, L.D.S., Senior Dental Surgeon, reports as
follows:—
"The year under review has seen the appointment from October
1st of a fourth dental surgeon and attendant. This, with the present
school population of 18,000, reduces the number of children to
rather less than 5,000 children per dental surgeon. This is in line
with the Board of Education's recommendation of the staff required
to deal with the expected number of acceptances, and it may be
appropriate to review the whole scope of the dental scheme in
comparison with the suggestions enumerated in the Chief Medical
Officer's 'Conditions of a satisfactory School Dental Scheme.'
(1) Aims of the School Dental Service—
'That as many children as possible should leave school
(a) Without the loss of permanent teeth ;
(b) free from dental disease ;
(c) trained in the care of the teeth.'
(a) In this respect we still fall short of the ideal, principally
owing to the fact that so many parents persist in refusing to accept
preventive work and only agree to treatment when extractions are
required. Caries in incisor teeth presents an exception to this, and
both parents and children usually display great eagerness for these
teeth (the only ones visible) to be retained at all costs. The molars,
which are really a more vital necessity to health, only assume
importance when they cause discomfort and pain, long after they
can be satisfactorily restored.