CHILDREN’S TEETH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2612, 21 September 1909, Page 3

CHILDREN’S TEETH.

j STATE SCHOOL INSPECTED. ST A R TL I N G RESU LTS. If tlie results of an inspection made at a North Melbourne State _ School are to bo accepted as an indication, over 95 per cent, of school children have defective teeth (.says the "Melbourne Argus”). Before 10 o'clock in the morning a surprise visit was paid to the Errol-street school by the Minister of Education (Mr, A. A, Billson), ac--1 companied by l)r. Prytz, president of the Odontolcgical Society of Victoria, and other members of the society. Ihe object cf the visit was to ascertain the extent to which children's-tooth were affected, and to impress upon Mr. Billson the necessity for providing in the Education Bill for dental inspection in State schools. It was a red-letter dav for the children. The sum on the blackboard was left unfinished —lessons were forgotten. Many a child whose neglected teeth were" examined by the aid of a mirror and a tiny electric globe, ran all the way home at lunch-time t-o bear tidings to her mother. When, the party entered the class-room they presented an appearance calculated t-o strike terror into the heart of anyone familiar with the concentrated nain of the dental chair. Each dentist carried a glass of hot water and a nickel instrument that seemed to have been specially constructed to search out and torture a fugitive nerve. One or two had leather cases as well, from which they produced little round mirrors and electric appliances for examining the teeth. As soon as the head teacher, (Mr. P. Drummond) had explained the purpose of the visit the dentists set to work. Tins children had no fear. They enjoyed the novelty of being singled out for so much attention. The first child examined was a little girl eight years of age, and of lier 16 permanent teeth no less'than 10 were found to be defective. A little boy, nine years old, had 10 out of 15 permanent teeth, anti in a groat many instances tlie molars wore affected beyond remedy. Dr. Prytz remarked on the number ol cases in which the first or six-ycar-old molar —known as the keystone"of the arch —was affected. A hurried examination at random failed to reveal one child in tlie class with perfect teeth. Then Air. Brooke Nicholls, having obtained permission from the Minister of Education, asked the children a few questions. "How many of you brushed your teeth this morning.-'” he inquired. Twelve out of a class of between 50 and 60 children held up their hands. “Now, hands im all children who have no tooth-brushes,” continued Mr. Nicholls. Twenty-three admitted nonpossession. Nine of the class, according to Air. Nicholas tost, had never had toothache, but as one of the nine was a little fellow with ton badly-affected teeth, and a half-developed gumboil, it is evident that he, at least, hardly understood the question. About 15 admitted to having been compelled to stay away from school owing to toothache. Air. Nicholls’ address to the class was.brief and pointed. “Look alter your teeth, boys he said, "and don’t forget tTiis—clean teeth never decay.” In the lower sixth class one scholar —-a girl of 14—- had sound teeth. In the case of every other child examined, the teeth were affected in some way. Dr. Prytz inspected two little boys. The first, out, of 14 permanent teeth, had seven with cavities, and the second lad, out of a similar number of permanent teeth, had defects in six. Another dentist made a chart of tlie results in five cases. The total number cf teeth and those affected by decay were, as follows : Total teeth. Number decayed.

E 21 6 In the ease of the boy (C), the conditions were exceptionally bad. Of the four molars which had made their appearance, three were badly decayedone beyond repair, while six of his principal front top teeth were all defective. Air. Nicholls’ interrogations drew from the children that all but two in a class of 50 luid tooth-brushes at home, but only three had used them that morning. The children in this class ranged from 12 to 14 years of age. Mr Nicholls gave the scholars some timely advice. "Nearly all of you have bad teeth,” he said. “Now, what you want to do is to clean them after every meal and before going to bed. And don’t cat biscuit or oread and jam alter you have cleaned them.” Passing into the room of the lower first class —children from 6 to 8 years, of age—it was found that an otherwise healthy band of youngsters had nearly all defects in their permanent teeth. Dr Prytz found alarming results in the case of three children he examined. At the age of from 6 to 8 years the. children Generally have four molars, and Dr. Prytz’s chart, after he had inspected three children, gave a result as follows: Total Number Oliild’s Permanent Alolars .\g e- Molars. Decayed. Six years 4 ® Seven years 4 * Eight years 4 4 "While in this class-room Air. Nicholls discovered a. >hubby-laced boy who had been suffering from tooth-ache. 11l a trice lie told Dr. Shuttle-worth, who had his dental bag with him. \\Rh his hand pressed against his face, Hie boy was led from his form and lifted on to the table. When he saw Dr. Shuttleworth’s bag, however, with its gleaming forceps and strango-lookiug bot-t.es, the color fled from his face. “"Which is the tooth f” asked the doctor kindly. But the boy shut his lips tightly. “It’s better now,"” he said, as lie supped from tlie table and hastened back to his seat lneidentially, the need of medical inspection was made very evident. A pale-faced boy, with spots on his face, was pronounced to oe suffering—or recovering from small-pox, and Dr. Shuttle worth’s thermometer showed his temperature to be over 100 degress. The head teacher promptly sent the bov home. ~ , .. Mr. Bitison was evidently considerably impressed bv what he saw. Summarised, the results of the inspection are that ever 95 per cent, of the children have defects in their permanent teeth, while in about 75 per cent their permanent molars —the teeth that do the work —were decayed. Representations are being made i-o Air. Billson with a view to haying one or more dental inspectors appointed to visit State schools. On behalf of a subcommittee of the Odontolcgical Society, Mr. Brooke Nicholls has forwarded to the Alinister the following recommendation regarding the duties of such an Inspector: — _ _ . “1 The inspection shou.d be conducted during school hours, on school premises, in such a way as to mteitero as little as possible with school work, the convenience of teaching staff and

circumstances of each school receiving] consideration. "2. The first report shall be concern- j ed. chiefly with the conditions and eir- ! enmstancr-s affecting the teeth of child- j rs-n in the metropolitan schools.” "3. 'Tlie use of the tooth-brush shou;d j be made compulsory. “4. A half-day in the year might be ! set apart as a Mental clay.'" and tlie columns of the current issue of the! School Paper ho devoted to denta- fib- ■ jeers.” A LOCAL DENTIST’S OPINION, j A TORE ATTENTION TO AIASTICATION. On this same subject a local dentist, Mr. J. H. Cato writes as follows: — Sir,—ln a recent issue of the “Times” I read a;i extract of an article by a dentist who advises the freer use cf lime in solution and in our food to counteract the increasing decay of the teeth. Now J would like to point out that it is not so much the want of lime as the want of exercise that is required to correct the faulty condition. I believe that nature has amply provided us, in our own various articles of diet, with the mineral matters necessary for their perfect formation, and all that is wanted is stimulation by the exercise of the teeth, of circulation, thereby bringing about a greater determination of blood to those parts, and a consequent further deposit of mineral salts in the teeth whilst in the formative stage. \Ye are losing our teeth through disuse. just as a man loses muscle —no matter how much muscle-forming food lie eats, if ho neglects to properly exercise himself —so with the teeth. As soon as the system fails to appreciate their value, so soon will the blood during the process of development begin to deposit the necessary salts in insufficient quantities to thoroughly impregnate the dental tissues whilst in the soft state and so insure those properties which will better resist the action of tlie various acids, bulyric, malic, acetic and lactic where are the primary causes of decay, and in after die fail to supply the tissues round about with nutriment enough to keep them in a healthy condition, so that in the latter case, even in the prime of life we often find the system endeavoring to cast off the teeth, and when this is accomplished the tissues once more quicklv resume their normal condition. Then again, if the jaws are not exercised. they will not develop sufficiently to accommodate the teeth, hence overcrowding. a common predisposition cause of caries (decay). I think it is time military drill was introduced into our schools "and the youngsters given fifteen minutes vigorous chewing daily. This, I sun suro, would not fail to have a. beneficial effect- on their teeth, and bo a stop in tlie dirction of coping with the degeneration cf the teeth of the race."' One of the most perplexing tilings a dentist nowadays meets with is a Tittle child with most of its temporary teeth in a hopelessly decayed and abscessed condition and suffering as much as a grown-up, under similar circumstances. This dcnlorahlo state is due to neglect in most cases, on the part of the mothei;, and it is heart-rending for anv sympathetic and conscientious dentist to have to take these little ones iri hand. In very many cares all he can do is extract, knowing full well.the injurious effect it will have on tlie position of the permanent teeth. Had he seen the child earlier, the then small cavities could have been treated, and the teeth saved and of service until ready to be replaced by the permanent ones. In concluding, I would like to draw mothers’ attention to the little known fact that the first permanent tooth — tin? six-ycar-old molar—erupts behind the temporary set altogether and has no predecessor. I mention this because it is so frequently mistaken lor a first tooth and sacrificed as such, and, I had bettor mention here, that the premature removal of the second temporary molar is to lie strongly condemned on account of its permitting tlie first permanent molar to move too far forward, thereby encroaching on the space which otherwise is reserved for the permanent tooth anterior to it. Trusting that this article will not take up too much of your valuable space and that it may be of interest to your many readers.—Yours. e(c. 1 J. HAROLD CATO.

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