The Washington times., 1912-09-11
TOOTH. DECAY ONE
OF CAUSES WHICH
|NC|TE DISEASE
Dentist Tells Congress of
Poisons Generated by
Septic Poisoning.

Persons who would never dream of
taking drugs daily permit themselves to
be poisoned day after day, week after
week, and even for years, by inatten-
ton to their teeth, according to DR.. NJ.
L. Rhein, of New York, who spoke this
afternoon to the delegates to the con-
vention of the National Dental Associa-
ton. Dr. Rhein gave an elaboration Of
the theory that many of the diseases to
which the different organs Of the body
are subject are the result, primarily, of
septic poisoning which began in the
mouth or at the roots of the teeth.
DR.. Rheims address was one Of sew
eral, the others being exclusively tech
meal in nature, except a talk on the
Panama-Pacific Exposition and the
dental congress to be held in connec-
tion with the exposition.
Reorganization Plans.
This afternoon at 8 o'clock the re-
organization committee of the associa-
ton will resume it's closely contested
debate on it's report to be made Thurs
day or Friday. At the first meeting Of
this committee, Drs. r. Ottolengui, of
New York, and A. d. Black, of Chicago,
led the discussion on the form of reor-
ganization. The question at issue Is
whether dentists joining State societies
shall be made eligible thereby to men,
bership in the national organization. or
shall automatically become members of
the larger body by the act Of joining
the State bod. ...
In his discussion of Mouth 1nfec-
tions' this afternoon, Dr.. Rhein de-
clared, that teeth which were neglected
or treated improperly by unskilled or
unscrupulous dental operators, offered
a fertile field not only for suffering
through dental carries o" tooth decay,
but that poisons generated by defective
teeth pass into the human system, and
by the slow process of their continued
absorption the channel was opened for
any and all diseases which are common
to mankind.
Affects Whole System.
"A pus sac may be left in the root OF
tooth either by neglect of the indi-
vidual or because a dental operator has
failed to remove all of a decayed nerve
structure" said DR.. Rhein, "and the
poisons there generated are absorbed
day after day, month after month. and
year after year, and as they circulate
through the system, naturally they at.
tack the weakest organ. Sometimes II
Is the liver, sometimes 1t is the kid
neys, sometimes the heart, sometimes
the lungs. and the organs thus weak.
encd succumb quickly upon attack Of
the germs of disease.
Summarizing, we can safely asser
that the health Of the individual is al
ways menaced by infection IL pus /!
allowed to be produced in the mouth o.
locked between the walls Of the alvec
lar structure
DR.. Rhein stated as a conclusion tina
II for any reason the diseased pull
structure in a patients tooth could no
be removed, then the patients bes
interest Is served by the extraction o.
the tooth.
Speakers on Program.
Other dentists on today's program
were J. F. Biddle, Pittsburgh: Thomas
p. Hartzell. Minneapolis: Lawrence G.
Singleton, Pittsburgh: Leon S. Medalia
Ioston. and George B. Harris. Detroit
The last two, heard this afternoon be.
fore section I. w. A. Price, of Cleveland
presiding. discussed pyorrhea and it's
treatment with vaccines.
w. II. G. Logan, of Chicago, chairman
of section 8, will preside at tonight's
prbliC meeting. at which Dr. Harvey
W, Wiley and pr. George e; Hunt, OF
eral health interest. Children of the
Calvary Baptist Church will sing under
the direction Of p. Fl. Bristow. The
mee'ing win be in the ballroom of the
New willard.
Nearly 100 women visitors at the
convention were the guests of the local
committee on arrangements this after
noon in a trip by boat to Mt Vernon.
The exhibit of dental manufacturers
produces, arranged for by the District
of Columbia Dental Society, began to-
dav at the New Ebbitt, and attracted