Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-06-04

Will JIGNGIlJ JllClll II Jill uSNClOp-l
ing to big ones that may involve
two or three surfaces of one
tooth and probably destroy the
tooth entirely. Filling cavities in
teeth is very important preven-
tative measure since any mea-
sure that will prevent the loss
of a tooth contributes that much
towards a sound mouth.
Over the past seven years con-
siderable research has been done
on the prevention of dental carries
by applying a solution of sodium
flouride to the surface of the
teeth. The idea of using flouride
as tooth protector was suggest
ed by the fact the carries are rare
where drinking water has high
ly fluoride content. Where fluor-
ide is not found in the water 1t
can be applied directly to chill
dren's teeth. Research conducted
by the College of Dentistry and
the United States Public Health
Service have shown quite con-
clusively that four applications
of this solution one week apart
will cause a 406 reduction in
the number of carries that develop
over a three year period in a
large group of children. To be
sure, this is an average and some
children have as many carries as
they ever had and others none
at all. But, by and large, the rate
of dental disease is reduced by
this treatment. 1t has been argued
that 1t costs as much to apply
sodium fluodire as it does to fill
the cavities that might have de-
veloped. What if 1t does? In the
end the group of treated children
will have 40% fewer filings, and
healthy undamaged tooth is
better than a filled one. Many
dentists are recommending rou-
tine application of sodium fluor-
ide to children's teeth with the
hope of keeping as many teeth
as possible undamaged for as
long as possible.
With all of these factors in
mind, you can easily see the dir
ection we must take to protect
the teeth of our children. The ex-
listing educational programs for
parents promoting the principles
of child health must draw to
them more parents before those
parents have children so that
through proper care, supervision
and diet, the developing child
may be given every opportunity
for sound growth. These parents
must learn to teach their children
the principles of oral hygiene
during the pre-school period as
soon as they are able to under
stand that they have teeth and
that those teeth must have care.
Parents should develop the habit
of taking their children period
ically to the dentist when they are
so young that they are not likely
to be hurt by the dentist and he
can be looked upon as a friend
rather than someone to be avoid
ed. All schools must include den
tai health as part of the general
health education program of the
school. This must include the de.
velopment of a friendly attitude
towards the dentist and the ply
sician, so that the child will want
to go to him when he needs help
and will develop habit that can
continue in later ears. The child
must learn not only how to care
for his teeth himself, but also
what services the dentist has to
offer and how they supplement
his own efforts.
There are bound to be in our
population families who are un-
ale to provide this kind of care
for their children. There are es-
tablished service agencies that
provide for some of these chill
dren. One such agency is the
Toledo Dental Dispensary, a Red
Feather service.
Whatever the final solution of
this particular child health prob
lem may be, 1t mus involve
sound education, the cooperation
of parents, dentists, schools and
health agencies, and every child
must be taught to want and to be
able to get the dental care he
needs from qualified dentists. AL
our goal, thanks to a progressive
ready we are a long way toward
d e n al profession, interested
schools and health departments,
and cooperative agencies in the
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