View report page

41
Dental Service.
I am indebted to Mr. V. Sainty, L.D.S. (Senior Dental Officer)
and his colleagues for the following information regarding the
running of the service.
The dental service in Tottenham is comprehensive in its
provision for the priority sections of the population, namely
expectant and nursing mothers, children under five years of age and
children of school age attending primary and secondary schools in
the Borough. There is, however, still need for greater provision for
the early adolescent leaving school at fourteen years of age.
With a staff of four whole-time dental officers, annual inspection
and treatment is available for the whole school population, including
orthodontic treatment, whereby irregularities of the permanent
teeth are corrected by the provision of appliances to meet individual
requirements.
Ante- and post-natal cases are supplied with artificial dentures
where necessary. Unfortunately, there is evidence, in the neglected
state of the mouths of many of these mothers, that provision of
dentures is on the increase.
X-Ray.—Radiographs for diagnostic purposes are at present
carried out by private contract. An X-Ray plant for dental cases
installed at one of the dental centres to serve the whole district
would expedite diagnosis and treatment.
Anaesthesia.—The services of a specialist anaesthetist are
available, and at anaesthetic sessions a trained nurse is also in
attendance. A "Walton'' gas and oxygen apparatus is mostly used
and gives prolonged and efficient anaesthesia.
Dr. Galley (visiting anaesthetist) has had much success with the
use of a new anaesthetic "trilene", and has published his results in
its use in dental surgery in the ' 'Lancet'' during the year.
Response to Treatment.—During recent years a marked improvement
has taken place in the number of children whose parents accept
dental treatment on first notification. This has resulted in a
reduction, compared with pre-war years, in the number of extractions
needed in children of school age, especially of permanent teeth and a
corresponding increase in the number of teeth which are saveable.
Also the amount of treatment necessary per child is reduced, with a