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subsequently advised of foodstuffs recommended by the Society of Medical Officers of
Health as being suitable for sale in tuck shops. The list included apples, raisins, potato
crisps and nuts. Dental health can be included in tha general curriculum at school,
and posters displayed at intervals can be used as reminders. The general availability
of drinking water during or after meal times to allow for rinsing of the mouth is most
important.
(3) Dental health education is an important service that the school dental officer
can give to his patients by word of mouth at their routine visits for treatment. In
addition, advice can be given about oral hygiene and investigations made into eating
habits and suitable diet charts compiled. There is some evidence that repeated topical
applications of stannous fluoride to the teeth reduces decay.
(4) Regular use of a suitable tooth brush is most important in keeping the mouth
clean and although there is little evidence that this practice will reduce dental caries
the influence on the gums and supporting tissues of the teeth is most beneficial. In
addition research is still going on into the possibility of adding compounds to toothpaste
which will reduce caries incidence. There is no reason to suppose that the daily
ingestion of fluoride in tablets would be less effective than the fluoridation of the public
water supply. From a social health point of view, such a method would probably be
ineffective and not very practical when one considers that regular daily dosing would
be required for as long as ten years from the pre-natal period.
The effects of dental decay on the teeth of the schoolchildren in the borough can
be judged from the fact that 61 sessions for inspection at school, 1643 for treatment
and 10 for dental health education were required to repair some of its ravages. The
type of treatment given in the three age groups can be seen from the following table:-