The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-08
By ]. SIM WALLACE, N. D., D. S.

By ]. SIM WALLACE, NJ. D., D. S.
- VERYBODY takes for granted
- the common belief that human
teeth are weak. and decay
through their own poor con
strUction. Bald heads and bad teeth
have long been looked upon as the
result Of our civilized degeneration
The l. st dental researches show
that this is all wrong. Human teeth
OF today grow in our jaws just as
strong and firm as ever. and few
simpIe changes Of diet and a modi-
cum Of care are ell that is needed
for US to die with az many sound ones
IN our moutIB as the cave jewellers
carried TO their graves.
AL the world has been taught that
a liberal use Of the toothbrush IS the
best and only preventive OF decay
there Is. The truth Is that the tooth
brush is a positive harm, because re-
lying on this false protection. human
beings have neglected to seek out
other real preventives, The tooth
brush being q failure as a guard
against decay IL becomes in this way
really a maker OF business for the
dentist
Is seems that the apple is natures
own toothbrush. Not only do the
crisp mouthfuIs clean the teeth Of the
gummy film that starches and sugars
leave on them 20 shelter and feed
millions of microbes, but they cleanse
and partially sterinze the whole
mouth, t0nsils, and throat,
The artificial toothbrush fails COM
pletely i'm this important task. All day
and all night the bristles collect dust
and germs on "a shelf OF washstand.
When used the brush scours thorough
" those surfaces of the front and
back which are always clean under ali
circumstarces.
Between tire teetf and around the
gums, where tie MGR hes multiply and
carries decay really begins. the tooth
brush never loes. The tooJhpick does
a certain amount of good by removing
such bis 1r= of food as call attention
70 their presence by pressure on the
guns. Fe-a dental floss or any sort
of sim Oar thread shows its great i'm
porfan.e-
tt carefully used the spaces between
the teeth ere freed OF fond and the
edges Of the teeth cleaned and polish
ed. But even more important than
mechanical cleaning Of the teeth is a
rational method Of eating our meals.
especially in childhood
Before the true part played by the
fold suTs Was known il was, Of
course. impossible To prevent the-Cis
ease: indeed even 10 the present day
all that is generally done is TO advo-
cate the toothbrush and antiseptics
after every meal. and this has not
been altogether satisfactory by any
means. It had come to be accepted
that any ordinary meal Of necessity
left the mouth dirty, and conse-
ouentIy that it had TO be cleaned ar
tffciauy: il was never supposed that
meals which were physiologically cor
rect actually cleaned the mouth.
Tt was recognized that 20 prevent peO-
ME eating sugar and sfarches or limit
ing them 10 those which did not fer
nent rapidly was out OF the question,
and the idea that the food should be
sufficiently hard TO AFFORD the teeth
the exercise necessary for their Wig
orous development was not acted upon,
probably because We were an aware
that their Development was completed
before they cut the gums and i'm the
case Of the temporary teeth before The
child had stopped sucking LIQUID milk
Now that We know the role of the
food stuhs i'm the etiology of carries
Il is possible for as to show how the
disease may DE prevented. and. al
though il has been said that people
would not adopt Tile method we ad-
vocate. it Is u fact tha5 already many
people have adoptet h. and where II
hs,s a,.u commenced at sum GENTLY
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