The Dolores star., 1914-11-20
tcopynshs. 1914. " A. 5. Gray,
PERSONAL RESISTANCE TO De
CAV.


CAV.
Whether tho reaction OF the saliva is
acid or alkaline has been under dis
cussion for . century. and men still
differ 80 widely and 80 many authori-
ties may be found on either side that
tho subject IL involved In confusion.
Without doubt the truth is that the
saliva IL very feebly alkaline and
readily changes either to acid or al
kaline with the establishment Of VA.
rious constitutional conditions. No
two individuals can possibly be exact
ly alike and the constitution Of the
mouth secretions must vary according
to time. place and the predominance Of
one or more Of the forms Of the many
species Of cro-organisms known to
be found In the mouth; also II must
vary In accordance with the individual
state Of health and mind. 81 that
physiological saliva, with the biochem-
zeal elements In q state Of equilibrium,
IL probably very rare.
II confusion exists concerning so
comparatively simple . matter as the
reaction OF the saliva, Il Is reasonable
to expect difference Of opinion In re-
gard to 90 worldwide and vague dis
ease a. carries. or tooth decay. and its
numerous allied conditions. Because
they are 20 very closely identified the
same general confusion exists with
reference to the subject Of decay Of
the teeth - pertains to the reaction Of
the saliva. Hence. one authority finds
carries due TO acidity and another to
akalinity: another declares II to be
caused by the absence Of . certain
element, and still another finds II 10
caused by the presence OF that same
element.
The idea that some teeth are hard
and resistant to disease and some soft
and easily destroyed was very gener.
ally believed by the dental profession
until the Investigations of DR.. g. v.
Black . few years ago cleared the sub
ject. He demonstrated that there In
actually no material difference In the
hardness Of teeth and that the quality
Of hardness or of softness Of the
teeth has no specific connection with
their tendency to decay. But the idea
that the hardness or softness 10 due
TO the amount Of calcium salts they
contain and that hardness endows
them with decay-resisting qualities 10
still firmly fixed in the public mind.
In . previous article said that
science does not consist In simply &C.
cumulating facts. but In interpreting
facts. and this applies with peculiar
force to the subject OF tooth decay and
its allied conditions.
TO be decaying badly the general inter-
probation Is that they are soft and
poorly calciHed. II. on the other hand.
the children happen to grow up to ma
turity without developing decay Of the
teeth the Interpretation In that the
teeth are hard and firm and therefore
resist decay. Then II has been gen
orally observed that during pregnancy
and lactation the teeth Of women SUI
fer more from carries than during other
periods. and this has been 30 universal
an experience that II gave birth to an
old saying: "A tooth for every child"
It Ia generally held that the teeth
Of the mother are robbed OF the cal.
cium salts to build up the bones Of
the unborn infant, but this 10 one Of
those half truths that are SO confus-
Ing and misleading.
Carries Ii essentially . disease Of
childhood. and childhood has epigram.
matically and most truly been desis.
mated a. AN extra hazardous occu-
patton" Child bearing 10 an extra
hazardous occupation. too: and 20.
measured BY it, mortality. 10 modern
business hazardous. We have already
noted that typhoid and other severs
frequently and quickly destroy teeth.
and 30 does excessive physical WORK.
Il II only within the last few years
with the dawninE understanding OF
the action Of catalysers. the engines.
and the ductless glands Of our bodies,
and more especially since Funk's dem.
/ onstration Of the vitamines and their
influence on the hormones of tho duct.
less glands--the governors Of our bod.
tes-that the matter begins to clear.
We begin to suspect that Il 10 not
solely the abstraction Of the phosphor
-. the calcium. the magnesium, the
carbon. the iron and the fiuorins from
our food that Ii the cause Of the
universal prevalence Of tooth and zen.
oral physical decay. We begin TO
suspect that the loss Of that part OF
the eternal energy BY which those Gle.
ments are normally welded into and
held In the plants. our ultimate source
q life. precipitates these troubles
upon 10. We know that animals can
- starved on physiological comblna,
tions" OF the pure salts Of these ele.
ments. and We know that they thrive
On the natural constituents Of the
same elsmeats.