Middletown transcript., 1917-06-09
YOUR TEETH

The following article was read by DR..
j. A Johnson at the meeting of the
"Better Baby Campaign" recently held
in the Assembly room of the school.
In addressing you on the subject of
mouth hygeine for the babies we will
consider the matter of dentition and
the care of the first or deciduous teeth
From the time that the mother discov-
ers that her baby is cutting its first
tooth until that same baby has died of
old age, there is the constant need for
care of the teeth. From this has
arisen a great educational movement IN
the matter Of mouth hygeine; or in i,
other words the dental profession with
the support Of philanthropists over the
entire United States have united IN the
great work Of training the school chill
dren in the matter of keeping their
mouths and teeth clean. At the same
time educating the parents in the re-
lationship Of good health and good teeth.
In all our large cities and in many
small ones there have been established
free dental intirmaries, where all chill
dren of parents too poor to pay for den
tai services, may have their teeth treat
ed This work is done by the local den
fists who give their services to the chill
dren.
The most notable example of this
form Of philanthropy is the Thos. A.
Forsyth Infrmary, of Boston, which he
has erected at a cost of $3.50, 100000 and
has dedicated to the poor children, of
Boston. Fifty dentists are employed
who treat as many as 500 children in one
day. The Forsyth Infirmary is magni-
ficent building, planned in the most up
to-date manner. Needless to say
every thing is absolutely sanitary, and
the equipment includes everything of
the finest quality. Besides the opera
tive department there is the department
of ortodontia- ia-where the little ones
teeth may be made straight and other
oral deformities are corrected. There
are the x-ray and Photographic depart
ments; as we'll as research department.
Thus through this valuable infirmary
there is the opportunity for early dag
nosis of physical defects, other than
those of strictly dental character.
In this connection | want to say that
phvsicians and surgeons have come to
look upon diseased tooth as possible
cause for remote organic trouble. among
which | may name, diabetes, brights
disease, blindness or deafness, Assesses
of any organ in the body, and many
other ills of lesser Importance. | haC
q pstient within the past week tell me
that she consulted one of the leading
surgeons of Philadelphia in regard to
falling arches from which she was suf
ferine. and he advised her to see a den
fist at once. Following the surgeons
advice she visited dentist who made
an x-rav picture of her teeth and foun(
q blind abscess at the end of her Incl
sors. This tooth was Immediately
treated and she told me that there was
an immediate improven ent in the con
dtion of her feet. The tooth had beer
improperly filled eighteen years before
and had never caused her the least an
nevaaee and she was not aware of il
diseased condition. Personally thinl
this case is stretching the matter con
, siderably, and give you the stor!
, merely to illustrate the great import
ance our modern surgeons place upol
the disease producing possibilities o
the human teeth.
: Most every mother knows that tn
+ second summer is the critical period fo
her baby but only few know why
The reason is in the fact that winter
1 born children cut their four cuspids an
: summer-born children their first or sec
ond molars at this period. You vii
see that the cutting of four teeth at tn
q same time, and during that part of tn
wear when cholera infantum is mos
ccommon-an the heat oppressive-is
; very real danger.
! Great care should be exercised in tn
;. | babv's diet during this period. Whe
the gums become swollen over tn
erupting teeth, with the baby fretfu
and a marked disturbance of the intes
final tract, the gums should be lance
Immediately, as such slight operatio
will afford immediate relief and woul
U in many cases forestall convulsions an
possibly, DEATH This trying peric
y over. there is little need excepting tn
e daily brushing of the child's teeth an
l. the inspection by the mother, of tn
o teeth as they come in to note if any ar
= defective or any which may decay. |
8 the majority Of cases where the firs
/ teeth are extremely soft and fall earl
Is victims of decay, it is generally due
! a poorly balanced diet during the perlo
! of their development in the jaw-b
y this mean that the baby has not had
o proper amount of the bone building eli
ri ments in it's diet, possibly has been fe
" on condensed milk or some other poe
- - imitation of mothers milk. A diet ric
II in fats will produce a fat baby bl
e without the proper amount of pho
pilates, this seeming health and vigt
is at the expense of the bony structure
of the body of which the teeth are
- The care of the first teeth is equal
l' as important as the second, for sever
e, reasons. First in the matter of Ell
m cheney. 1t is impossible for the child
1e properly masticate its food If this In
bt portant function is attended with pain
~ possibly some of you have tried to e'
a meal when one Of your teeth WI
e. sore and felt about an inch higher tn;
in the others-you know how it feels; al
in no less a degree YOUR child Suffe