Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-03-21
BAD TEETH A
MENACE; PLAN
OF EDUCATION
Americans Have Best Teeth
in the World, Yet 70 Per
Cent Are Afflicted

American people have the best
teeth in the world. In no other coun-
try can there be found as high a
percentage of good masticators. For
a number of years publicity proba
bly, has been the most important fac
tor in causing the Americans to give
their teeth proper attention.
In newspapers and magazines, adj
vertisements of tooth pastes, tooth
powders, brushes and antiseptic
mouth washes have played an impor-
tant part in bringing the attention
of the public to the necessity of
properly caring for the teeth.
That kind of publicity helped to
arouse the dental profession to the
value of oral hygiene propaganda,
and from small beginning a few
years ago, that movement has grown
to large proportions and still is grow
ing. However, dentists say, despite
the propaganda, fully rs per cent of
the people have bad teeth.
America is acknowledged the world
leader in dentistry. To the dentists
of this country is due credit for dis
covering the relationship between va
rious ailments Of the body and de-
fective teeth.
Patients under physicians care
frequently are advised to consult
dentist as part of the treatment.
Dentists often call in medical men
to aid in handling a case. That CO.
operation has restored to health
countless persons, who, under the
old antagonistic regime, would have
continued to suffer.
Neglect in Youth Blamed
A few years ago progressive men,
bers of the dental profession began
to realize the major portion of adult
tooth diseases had been contracted
in youth. This was mainly due to
the old-fashioned belief decay among
the so-caIled "baby" teeth was an
whooping cough, measles and chicken
poX.
The pioneers against this accepted
tooth condition had an uphill battle,
but the remarkable results attending
test treatments not only attracted the
members of the dental profession,
but also of philanthropically inclined
men who saw a new way to aid fu-
ture generations through the medium
Of tooth culture.
That aid has been realized in many
cities throughout the country By the
establishment of dental clinics in the
public schools and the. building,
equipping and endowing of free dem
tai dispensaries by individuals and
These clinics and
have done incalculable
good for the boys and girls. Wher-
ever established their worth has
been, evident to the most skeptical.
One of the finest free dental dis
pensaries in the United States is in
N. Y. 1t was founded by
George Eastman, of the Eastman Ko-
dak company. He gave the commo-
dious building pictured here and con-
tributes literally to it's maintenance.
Fourteen other public spirited cit1-
zens Of Rochester, members of the
board Of directors of the dispensary,.
$1,000 a year to the main
tenance fund. Equipment for the
research laboratory and various
units in the dispensary were pro-
vided by wealthy women-in some
instances as memorials.
The teeth Of thousands of boys and
girls have been treated at that in
stitution since it was opened two
years ago. Among the school chill
dren Of Rochester the benefits OF the
work have been remarkable. Ac-
cording to reports there has been a
decided decrease. in absences from
school because Of illness, and cor
decrease in the number
of backward pupils.