Study Shows Tooth Decay Is Germ Disease With Few Persons Immune ANN ARBOR Mich Mih July 8 P I fl flour Four our years' years intensive study of dental University of Michigan sd- sd caries arles by has brought them to the deli deli- dei nite te conclusion that tooth decay deca Is i a small percentage germ erm disease that a smal of Ind Individuals vidual inherit immunity from tooth it and that the occurrence of decay It ecay is not determined by the structural i quality of the tooth nor by bythe bythe the he degree of cleanliness s of the mouth L to the T These ese discoveries erles suggest scientists the po possibility of controllIng control control- Ing ng the disease by vaccines or other ig means commonly used for control lug ing ng bacterial diseases The Michigan Investigations were made ade Te possible by a grant from th the childrens children's fund of Michigan donated by y Senator James Jame Couzens and were carried out by a group of ol trained rained biochemists biochemist nutritionists and bacteriologists under the general diction di dl of Dr Russel Rusel W. W Bunting pro pro- pro lessor fessor of oral pathology in the school of dentistry Summarizing the groups group cries eries ies Professor Bunting stated that decay of the thc teeth is s caused b by the activity of ot a type of bacteria which acts act ct upon carbohydrate food mate mate- rial als in the mouth forming acids acid which dissolve the enamel and den- den tn tine ne Dental carles caries was described as the most mot ost prevalent human dL disease ease affect affect- Ing g 90 eo to 95 per cent o of the population of civilized pr countries It attacks children chil chil- chi dren ren more actively ely act than adults