| Show what to eat and why wh y C houston housdon goudiss offers timely advice on avoiding the fhe menace of tooth decay by C HOUSTON GOUDISS 0 ONE NE of the most serious indictments against our present day civilization is its failure to preserve the teeth of men women and children countless examinations in all parts of the country reveal that practically per cent of the adult population is afflicted with some form of oral disease and surveys of the physical condition of school pupils in different localities cali 7 ties and under various circumstances cum stances disclose that tooth decay affects between 90 and 97 per cent of our school children remarkable and widely heralded advances have been made in our knowledge of how to control and prevent many dangerous and debilitating diseases yet we appear to be complacent in the face of the fact that the majority of our population is handicapped by decayed teeth nor does the mere statement of the case convey any idea of the seriousness seriousness of the situation for it is unfortunate that diseased teeth and dental infections which may result from unchecked decay seldom incapacitate the sufferer thus the victim does not become sufficiently alarmed to take the ste steps P s necessary to arrest the progress of the diseased con yet a single decayed tooth might be compared to a poison factory distributing its noxious products to every part of the body and tooth decay may be indirectly responsible for rheumatic ailments neuritis dyspepsia or duodenal ulcers it may even be a contributing cause of heart trouble troubie possibilities of prevention yet there is little or no excuse for the appalling amount of dental decay that afflicts the american people for in recent years a vast amount of laboratory and clinical research has been undertaken in this field and there is impressive evidence that dental caries or decay may be completely controlled by dietary means then too our understanding of correct dental hygiene has advanced bremen designed tooth brushes and skillfully compounded dentifrices denti frices are available in every town and hamlet throughout the country diet and dental disease various investigators have advocated different dietary formulas for the control of dental decay deca Y there is a lack of agreement among them as to which single element is the most important in constructing a diet to prevent caries aries but outstanding authorities hold that each of the five following dietary factors has a controlling influence vitamins A C and D an adequate supply in the correct proportions of the minerals calcium and phosphorus an excess of alkaline or base forming foods over acid forming foods and a generous allowance of raw foods with emphasis on those that leave an alkaline ash vitamin A and tooth structure notable research has demonstrated that vitamin A is a definite nite factor in controlling tooth d development elop the development of the enamel is governed by a complex structure which begins to deteriorate as soon as vitamin A is withheld when experimental animals are placed on a diet lacking in this vitamin their teeth become brittle chalky and w white hite this is due to the loss of the enamel with its orange colored pigment and the exposure of the dentine an english authority also claims that vitamin A is necessary to help prevent diseases of the gums inasmuch as vitamin A likewise has many other important bunc eions to perform in the body every homemaker should see to it that her meals contain an abundance of milk and other dairy products and the green leafy and yellow vegetables which are a good source of this vitamin vitamin C and tooth health vitamin C is closely associated teeth and gums there is strong evidence that this vitamin is essential to the dentine enamel and the bone of the jaw and there are on record remarkable remark able experiments which demonstrate that dental decay and gum disorders are both prevented and arrested when extra amounts of foods containing vitamin C are included in a well balanced diet vitamin C is best obtained from the citrus fruits tomatoes and raw leafy vegetables such as cab vitamin D which we get from j the sun from fish liver oils and concentrates and from irradiated foods and those fortified with vitamin D concentrate is necessary for the proper utilization of the calcium and phosphorus which must be generously supplied if the teeth are to develop properly importance of dental hygiene thus a carefully calculated diet beginning before birth and continuing throughout life is necessary to build teeth that are IF aurally sound but even the most perfect teeth require constant care to maintain their soundness thorough brushing is necessary after every meal to remove all particles of food which remain between the crevices and cling near the necks of the teeth it if not removed this debris may ferment giving rise to unpleasant odors and creating acids which may attack the tooth enamel it is important however that the brushing be done correctly away from the gums and with a s slight g t rolling stroke so that the bristles can penetrate between the teeth never use a horizontal stroke nor brush toward the gums this may irritate the tender tissues and may also force food particles under the gums at the necks of the teeth A good dentifrice essential the selection of a dentifrice is most important because an agreeable dentifrice encourages thorough brushing an efficient dentifrice f helps to float away minute bits of food not reached by the toothbrush it is also advisable to use a paste or powder which helps to restore luster to teeth which have been surface stained by foods and beverages the use of an antiseptic mouth yash at least once daily especially before retiring is commendable as it leaves the mouth fresh and clean it is also important to give the teeth regular systematic cleansing and to see your dentist periodically for a careful checkup C C houston Goudiss 1938 28 |
