The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-08-15

terms OF common knowledge available
for the masses Of people who most need
it, In some countries movements in
this direction are In active operation,
looking to the better care Of the teeth
of the public school children. There
have been attempts made In this direc-
tion in our own country, but have been
halted un account Of lack of organized
efforts. Our laws recognize the duty Of
retaining the public health to such an
extent as not only 20 restrict and isolate
numerous sick people but to take ex-
trcme care Of the sewerage. cleanliness,
ventilation. etc, and even the length OF
the tube permitted for an infant to take
its milk from nursing bottle has been
put into an ordinance. II this is in ac-
cordance with the constitution. why not
essential to the same end that the
mouth, which as everyone knows is the
starting point Of all nutrition, should be
considered and the individual so instruct
| ed In its care as to avoid half or more
than half Of the diseases now to be con-
tended with. While our town Is very
healthy, it might be made twice as
healthy by having all instructed in this
matter.
II Is not essentisl that we require the
youth to take three year course in
university studying dentistry, as spec
ialty, though that might be agreeable
to some Of us, but we might at least give
them few pages Of good. sound instruc-
tiou during their school days. The re-
suit on the next generation would prob
ably lessen the number OF dentists, but
| will render unnecessary their existence.
So there would be no great loss without
some small gain. II we take some of
the larger cities with two or three hun
dred dentists, think OF the agony en-
dured by the people who are required
to sustain these men euch month and in
a great big majority of cases the SER
vices Of the dentist is needed because of
| a lack OF wisdom that would have saved
all the suffering and many OF the opera
tions. Is this not an argument in favor
of more enlightment along this subject
to the general public There is great
deal the dental profession don't know,
but II small portion was accessible to
the public IL would save a world of suf-
fering. There are a great many things
that could be taughtin simple way that
would do good. 1t could bo taught
that the forceps are used too frequently
altogether: that "a tooth which can be
saved in healthy condition is too val
liable to be extracted at any time; that
the cause Of decay as stated before, is
always In the mouth and not in the
tooth: that imperfect or weakly de-
veloped teeth decay more easily and
rapidly when the cause is not removed;
that any acid action in the mouth at
tacks the enamel and starts the decay;
that germs get in their work much
more effectualy where acid has done
injury and always more rapidly in
mouths not kept strictly clean; the de-
composition of food and saliva pro-
duces acids and forms breeding places
for the disease germs; that cleanliness
is next to godliness: that simple pro-
cesses, IL vigorously and persistently
employed, tend to prevent formation of
acids aud development Of germs and
consequently delay decay of the teeth,
as well as ward of foul breath, which
invariably accompanies neglect; that
mixing food during mastication and
insalivation with the debris common in
neglected mouths is very unwholesOme,
as it necessarily is swallowed with the
food and this impairs digestion and later
interferes with the quality of the new
blood formed from the infested food
The presence of such communicating
materials poisons the breath when al
lowed to pass through the mouth in
stead of through the nose and again
poisons, or at least interferes, with the
purifying of the blood in the lungs and
this is the cause of lung troubles, blood
diseases, heart affections and numerous
other conditions, all of which aggrapate
any injury that might call for the aid
OF a physician, but aching teeth, like
aching heads and aching stomachs, can
be cured If not endured and not make
it necessary to remove them. but | am
sure II we will all try to maintain hy-
genie condition of the modth we will be
freed from many undesirable operations
which otherwise we will have to endure.
Prevented Tragedy.