The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-08

Is. however. what We might call a
purely vegetarian meal. consisting
chiefly Of milk or tea. bread and but
ter, jam, scenes and cake. Now q
meal such as this is particularly OH
iectiUnahIe as you viii observe FROM
what we have already said. but Eeire
tho last meal Of the day the harmful
ness IS augmented by the fact that the
mouth has not the chance Of bsfne
thoToughly cIeaased from the remains
Of such q meal till the next mOrLiuC-
10 has been observed by many den
lists that the teeth Of vegetarlans ap-
pear TO be subject 10 rapid decay. and
this has been my experience. IT is
not a'wa"s SO, and DC is by no means
necessarily SO. for vegetarian meal
can be arranged physiol0Eic ally just
az nike meal can II the meal is
composed II baked bread, or toast and
cheese, CT ships biscuit and butter.
followed By an apple, there viii be 10
reason to expect the slightest harm
10 result to the teeth.
So far we have assumed that the
teeth are free from carries. but Il very
frequently happens before prevention
IS thought of When carries IS not far
advanced in the temporary teeth all
that is required to be done is 70 have
the carious teeth filled and at the same
time initiate the necessary changes in
diet which viii IN future prevent fHr-
Their decay In the teeth. To fill teeth
and not 20 correct the error which
brought on the carries amounts to Iittla
more than 70 invite the patient 70 re-
turn for similar operations IN six
months or a year.
II should be distinctly realized that
dental carries Is a very distinct sign Of
persistent dietetic error, and Il Is the
duty Of the medical practitioner to
correct this error I'm any child IN
which he finds dental carries It should
be borne in mind that the filing OF
teeth does not Increase the autopurf-
fcatlon Of the buceaI cavity, at least
outside the radius OF the filing IT,
Self-that. indeed. the mouth may be
kept continually N g dirty and dan
gerous state, although the teeth are
filed regularly every three months
Fortunately. the habit Of chewing
gum has taken hold upon all classes
Of people especially the young The
muscles Of the 5aw. missing the exer-
else for which they were meant and
which modern foods do not bring. are
relieved by the cum chewing.
But better than this is the friction
Of the gum Itself against the surfaces
OF the teeth, which cIeanses them and
promotes the flow of saliva about the
intestines. removing germ colonies.
which would otherwise be left to work
decay.
II the tooth is in a neglected mouth
the germ finds pler-y or nutriment in
the form Of a gummy covering from
sugars deposited near the gum or be
meath bit of food which has become
wedEed between the teeth With the
rapid multiplication OF the bacteria
Tactic acid is given of. which dissoIves
the face OF the toOth's enamel
The touch Of a brush or a bit of
fruit at his time would wipe the colony
out Of existence and end the trouble
at this point. But soon the acid eats
a pocket into the enamel. This be-
comes filed with germs which are 50
protected that they can only be dis
lodged with considerable friction.
When the enamel has been eaten
through the germs enter the dentine.
where progress IS more rapid. Week
after week the cavity grows. though.
perhaps, there is only a pin point Of
a hole or the outside to mark the
entering point At last the vanguard
Of the microbian army reaches so
near the pulp, OF nerve. of the tooth
that the pulp becomes inhamed.
The next step is the penetration OF
"a Frur fer- q
Inflammation Of the pulp we call tooth
ache, but when The pulp has actually
been reached. t2e ensuing formation
Of pus causes OH the agOnies of the
liberated tooth At this stage even
the most negligent person decides 10
have something done about it, usual
~ 10 have II ou-