Show Dental Hygiene The Road to Health By DR R. R ALLEN GRIFFITH I I PUMPING BACTERIA pYORRHEA Is a disease of the theA P A gums Let us see sec ec what causes It It and how It Infects other parts of the system When lien n new tooth erupts or conies comes In In chil childhood hood It bursts through the mucous membrane from which It orl originated The union of the mucous membrane to tooth structure Is always s 's utter after the eruption eruption tion ion of the tooth Imperfect and capable capable capable ca ca- pable of ot admitting Infection This union of tooth and gum Is therefore therefore therefore there there- fore of vital Interest and Is called culled the gingival crevice cre or gain gurn marginal marginal mar mar- ginal crevice It It ItIs Is much like the junction of the linger nail and skin sl and has a similar free mar margin In Its total length Is about thirty Inches around all an the teeth It will therefore be seen that organisms microorganisms growing gro on the the- tooth's surface may readily pass Into Into In In- to the delicate openings In the bottom bottom bottom bot bot- tom of the crevice thus gaining di dl- direct direct access to and cular euler lymph spaces In these structures structures structures tures with nothing to hinder their transfer to deeper tissues by the lymph and blood sti streams earns The total of pressure amounts to about one ton lon per day expended b by the average al nl This great reat force depresses the tooth Into Its socket about one- one sixtieth of ot an Inch on an average and the elasticity of the tissues causes a rebound The tooth therefore therefore therefore there there- fore acts as a piston during mastication mastication mastication masti masti- cation and where the micro micro or organIsms organ organ- an- an Isms lodge under the tartar and gold crowns they are pumped directly Into the unprotected blood vessels at the bottom of the crevice If pyorrhea has progressed long enough to produce pockets around the teeth of ot only one one eIghth eighth of ot an anInch anInch anInch Inch a n aery very ery shallow pocket we thus have an ulcerating surface of oC three and one quarter one quarter square Inches If pyorrhea has progressed Ion long enough to produce pockets around the teeth of an average depth of ot one quarter one quarter of an Inch we have an ulcerating surface of se cn and one- one half square Inches The enamel of all nIl teeth Is naturally naturally ally more or less rough Mucous plaques stick to It affording lodgment lodgment lodgment ment for masses of livIng ll bacteria By lly being pumped directly Into the blood stream the they are arc always poisoning pois pois- poisoning the system Get Into your mind this simple Idea that bacteria around a n tooth are not In a stagnant stag stag- stagnant nant pocket but In a high pressure high pressure pumping system Then you yon will comprehend their danger ARE ALL CYLINDERS HITTING RE all your cylinders hitting A ARE or are you jou ou limping along on a afew afew afew few of them Dr IrvIng Fisher of Yale has stated that there are at all times over o people In this country who are seriously ill m. If three out of ot each hundred have hae the entire engine engine engine en en- gine laid up for repairs how many more are missing on one or more cylinders Man Many of our great authorIties authorities authorities au au- say that there Is not any anyone anyone anyone one thing that Is more Important than the hygiene of the mouth Many pure food laws have ha wisely been passed In the Interest of the general public The most Important matter however oral hygiene has been completely neglected What is la lathe I Ithe the use of Insuring pure food If It Is mixed ml with millions of the germs of I putrefaction during mastication It ItIs ItIs I Is surely and Just as ns thoroughly loaded with poisons as If It It has been allowed to spoil before eating In normal healthy mouths are found many disease producing disease producing germs such as those of tuberculosis diphtheria diphtheria theria therla influenza pneumonia and several varieties of ot the streptococcus cus and staphylococcus the pus- pus producing germs erms To the first named of the series are due many of the diseases of school children while to the latter are due many of ot the Ills of ot middle life Ufe Many any times the first symptoms are hard to define It may be that the heart action Is slightly altered so that the extremities being de de- priced of their full blood supply become cold or bathed In ration Digestion becomes slow and difficult difficult dif dif- and may be accompanied by bythe bythe bythe the formation of ot gas which distends the stomach and Intestines causing them to press upward against the diaphragm m thus embarrassing the lun lungs s. s The bowels become constipated pate and the secretion of oC the urine Is altered In quantity The mouth at this sta stage e Is the only organ of the body that will act as ns an nn Indicator There may be a n cavity or two filled fille with decaying food The X ray may show a dead deall tooth or two or It may be the gums are arc slightly swollen 5 or Inflamed or careful exploration may mar show a few tew I pyorrhea pockets If It neglected this condition Is I bound to change for a worse condition condition condi condi- tion until one or more cylinders are missing or the entire en engine Is laid up for tor repairs p e. 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