The Washington times., 1918-01-03
By Lucy Open.
In Good Housekeeping for January.

rs there any mother who would
not. II she could, insure q strong.
beautiful set Of teeth for each Of
her boys and girls?
The advantages Of such an asset
in the way Of gooH 'oks and good
health are too obvious to need COM
ment. but so fataIistic have We
grown with regard to that disease
OF civilization which the dentist
terms carries" and which the lay
man vaguely disposss of under the
term dental 1ecay," that any one
who presumes to point out the pos
sibility of doisE away with It 10
likely to be looked upon with sus-
picion.
OF late. however. men Of the
highest possible standing IN both
the medical and the dental world
have been emphasizing the fact
that dental decay. like any other
disease. has certain well-known
causes, and that the way to attack
the evil Is not simply to patch up
the damages as they occur but
rather to prevent them altogether.
Alfred owrs. dean OF the dental
department OF the University of
Minnesota Is applying certain
stringent tests to q number Of chill
drsn under his care He feels
strongly the possibility Of keeping
teeth in q perfectly sound and
healthy condition throughout life.
He emphasizes the necessity Of
using hard foods, especially during
the period when the bones OF the
jaws are developing. in order TO
bring into full play the organs OF
rnaatIcatIon: and he also emphasizes
the necessity Of eating plenty OF
coarse. fibrous food to keep the
teeth well polished and to wear
down irregularities Of their sur
faces.
Professor Henry Pierce Pickerill.
director Of the dental department OF
the University of otago and one OF
the foremost English authorities on
the subject. agrees with DR.. owre
on the points mentioned. but he en-
phasiIes also the Importance OF
keeping the mouth clean of sticky.
sweet, acid-forming debris OF food
by selecting a preponderance Of
foods which are an;acid and eat
ing at the end OF meals such fibrous
foods as celery. raw carrots or sp-
pies.
He calls attention TO The soour-
ing effect which these foods OK
.rt under the 7oo-pound pressure OF
the normal bite and TO their ten
dency to increase the quantity and
quality of the now OF cleansing
saliva.
Or. Sim wallace has applied these
principles in directing the diet from
an early age OF fourteen children.
Ana he reports that not one child
shows a single tooth with the
slightest trace OF decay.
Fortunately. the methods used in
combating this disease OF civillza-
ton are exceedingly simple and such
as any mother can put into practise
without making any radical change
In children's meals. For the things
which are good for The teeth are
good for tn. whole body. and their
US. involves simply an lpplica-
ton OF the principles which our
foremost hyEienists have been
spreading broadcast regarding the
proper diet for CHILDREN.
The chief difference between the
old diet and the new lies largely in
the matter Of the sequence IN which
the customary foods are taken.
rather than in a marked change in
either their kind or quantity.
Although the tooth brush Is re-
taIned as a useful adjunct in the
hygiene of the mouth. its place is
not considered so uniquely Impor-
tant as formerly.
We are less inclined to believe
that poor old nature needs to he
helped ont by artificial means when
We understand the function Of ma
lures own tooth brushes. the
course abrOus foods. aud We know
nov that no artificial mouthwash