Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-28
TO TEACH ORAL HYGIENE
WHAT DIR. GRADY SAYS ON THE SUB
JECT OF TEETH,
Children Should Be Taught How to
Keep Them in Good
Order.

| DR.. Richard Grady, chief dental surgeon
at the United States Naval Academy, with
DR.. F. w. Stiff Of Virginia, DR.. H.
| H. johnson Of Georgia, DR.. ]. P. Will
| son of Iowa and DR.. William Ernest
Walker of Mississippi. has started a move
ment which is being Endorsed by leading
members of the profession throughout the
country, and which is expected to be ma
| tional in scope, looking to teaching oral hy-
giene in the public schools.
In talking about the matter to a Star re-
| porter DIR. Grady said: without good
| teeth there cannot be thorough mastica-
| ton; without thorough mastication there
cannot be perfect digestion; without perfect
| digestion there cannot be perfect assimila-
| ton; without proper assimilation there can
not be nutrition; without nutrition there
cannot be health; without health what is
| life? Hence the paramount Importance of
| the teeth.
| "A few years ago 1 discovered that not
| one of the 800 children in one of the public
| institutions of my city had tooth brush.
| The children of that institution are now
supplied with tooth brushes, but l fear
there are many similar institutions in the
world where the tooth brush is never seen,
and the dentist is never heard Of.
Dental Carries Preventable.
| II am fully persuaded that more than
so per cent Of dental carries is absolutely
preventable by medicines internally ad-
ministered. which act specifically in the
mouth; alike pleasing and imperative is the
| appeal to both ambition and intelligence
| to prevent rather than to repair the raw
ages of decay. If the teeth are not al
| lowed to accumulate deposits on either
| their exposed or protected surfaces, they
will, 1t is claimed. be exempt from carries.
Given the varying predispositions of diff
/ ir,lr liz. f, rtN t..
| erned by the laws of heredity and environ
ment, the growth of micro-organisms in the
| mouth is in proportion to the amount of
| disturbance they suffer. or rest and oppor-
| tunity they enjoy. Treating diseased teeth
| of school children at public expense seems
| entirely out of the question at present, Yet
why should it be less reasonable 10 have
| visiting dentists than visiting music teach
| ers. and drawing teachers, and teachers of
| physical culture? The position Of visiting
| dentist in our public schools would not be
| sinecure. There would be work to DO every
| day. If bad teeth could be prevented, the
| gain to the state and the individual would
be of enormous value. as it is Wonderful
how many diseases can be traced directly
| to bad teeth
1T is the noble privilege of the teachers
of the country to promote in some Gcg:ee
the preservation of the teeth of those under
their care, and this they can do by incul-
eating early and earnestly and with the
emphasis of high religious duty the prn-
ciples of dental hygiene. The same spirit
which has led to enlisting the active cooper
alton of the public school concerning meas
ures for preventing the spread of con-
tagfous diseases of childhood should be in
sisted upon in the care of the teeth.
Clearly Oral Habits.
THE incubation of clearly oral habits
among children should be insisted upon. 1t
is just as important and necessary to
keep clean teeth as it is to keep clean hards
and face, because all the food eat must
come in contact with our teeth. 1t is essen
tial that child be taught how TO brush
the teeth properly. Brush the upper teeth
downward and the lower teeth Upward on
their inner and outer surfaces, preventing
injury to the gums and effectively clean
Ing all the crevices of the teeth. A tooth
brush at school is as needful as any gym
nastic exercise for the preservation of
health. There Is strong reason to believe
that many diseases of the nervous system,
respiratory organs and alimentary canal
may be due to the fact that the mas
ticatory organs have been neglected
I'VE are now able to say to teachers and
pupils that it has been proved beyond
doubt that decay of the teeth is caused by
two different processes: % chemical; C2)
parasitcal. that the prevention of dental
cares depends first of all, strict cleanli-
ness of the mouth and teeth. the impor-
lance of which cannot possibly be over
estimated. Undoubtedly it can be said that
the tooth brush and plenty of clean water
stand at the head of all measures of this
iIdtuit, anu lldt tne next prOpnylatlC
means is the intelligent use of proper anti
septics. tepid salt solution has been
recommended as an inexpensive and eff
fective antiseptc for rnsng the mouth,
and where there is a tendency to bleeding
of the gums, powdered borax may be used.
One thing not often spoken of in reference
to cleaning the teeth is the value of rims
lEg. Many patients know nothing about
it, and the average dentist does not think
it worth while to mention it to them. The
matter of closing the lips and forcing the
| water vigorously back and forth between
the teeth exercises an important part in
cleansing them.
Teeth of Children DeteriOrating.
1--WE want to emphasize the startling fact
that the teeth of children have been deteri-
Grating, until now it has become a serious
matter. OF all causes OF decay unclean-
ness is perhaps the most fertile. The clean
tooth may decay-the neglected tooth must
decay. 1t has lost It's chance of self-de-
Tense.
I'VE want children instructed in the care
OF the mouth and teeth, in cleansing the
whole mouth, including the tongue and the
sooner this Is done the sooner will the
many evils from the present neglect be
stayed. Children must be taught some
system of oral hygiene. 1t should be seen
that school children receive thorough in
struction as to the utility of good teeth.
These same children will soon be the par
ents of the community in their turn, and
they would have the advantage not only
OF better mouths Of their own, but of be-
ing in position to care for their own
children. Instead of regarding the teeth
as foes, children should be taught to re-
gard them as special friends and devote to
them their best care
1--WE want to remedy the possibilities of
the propagation of disease In public schools
through the present condition Of children's
mouths and teeth and incidentally the dis
comfort of parents whose children have
aching teeth, sleepless nights, distorted
nervous systems. bad digestion, alveolar
assesses, foul and fetid breath. When