Milford chronicle., 1919-07-04
TEETH AND HEALTH
By S. ALLEN GRIFFITH, D. D. S.
TEETH AND TONSns

TEETH AND TONSILS
When you smile in mirror what dc
you see?
and a row of pearls, or a neglected
oral cavity with decaying, uncared-foI
teeth?
In any even there are millions OF
germs present that can only be seen
with a high-power microscope.
These germs grow in a film that
forms on the surface of the teeth call
ed the bacterial plaque"
MANY kinds Of germs breed in these
plaoues: almost half Of them belong
TO the group known as steptocOcci.
Thev are swallowed in great num-
hers and frequently cause stomach
and intestinal troubles. They invade
the cum margins which are poorly
protected and enter the blood stream
and lymphatics. One result OF the in
vasion of the gum margins is pyorrhea.
In the beginning they only produce
slight Inflammation of the gums, but
the infamed gums soon loosen. The
Inflammation penetrates farther under
the gums and spreads the infection.
AS the infection spreads it attacks the
hone an dthe gums recede. The final
stage is lOosened teeth, which even
tually fall out.
The mucous membrane of the mouth
is highly resistant to the invasion OF
bacteria. If this were not true we
would all be in constant trouble from
mouth infections, for it is easy to
demonstrate that every mouth in any
civilized community contains great
variety of bacteria, most OF them Of
highly virulent strains.
During the last few years it has been
the practice to remove the tOnsils, but
to overlook their source Of infection,
the teeth. Let us see how tonsils be-
come infected.
The substance of healthy tonsils is
composed of small nodules Of lymph
attic tissue arranged around a group
of twelve to fifteen crypts and con-
nective tissue, blood vessels and few
nerve fbres. From the crypts num-
erous follicles branch out into the
substance on the tOnsil by means Of
irregular channels.
Surrounding each fOllicle is a plex-
US Of lymphatic vessels, and the whole
is covered by mucous membrane.
The tonsils the located between the +
muscles of the throat and protected
from mechanical injury and bacterial
attack by the tough mucous mem
brane.
While well protected from the out
side. vet. because of their peculiar
construction and because Of the num- I
erous Emphatic plexuses and crypts,
4i,o,- fdao1 iunnho anW
micro-organisms that may once sue
ceed in penetrating the lymph chan
nels. The lymphatic vessels of the
gums terminate in the submaxillary
glands. The lymphatic vessels lead
ing from the plexuses surrounding the
tonsilar crypts also pass to the sub
maxillary glands.
1t is therefore readily seen that bac
terra may pass almost directly from
the gum margins to the tonsils. Bac-
terra passing into the lymph channels
may easily pass on to the tOnsils and
be enormously multiplied bith in num-
bers and virulence and be passed thru
the submaxillary glands to the deep
cervical glands and finally on to the
other parts of the body without the
surface of the tonsil even being dis
turbed. This is why the removal OF
the tonsils, while Immediately helpful,
does not always remove the source of
the trouble The same condition still
and operation after operation
frequently succeed each other as the
lowered resistance of some other point
causes it to become infected.
If the teeth are properly cared for
first and the crypts of the tonsils care
fully cleaned out with suction appar
atus the tonsils may frequently be
saved. In any event the teeth should
be the first consideration, for in treat
ing diseases resulting from focal in
lection the original point of infection
must be eradicated. This may be ac-
by oral prophylaxis, which
polishes the teeth until they shine like
pearls. Then when you smile into a
mirror it reflects not only row of ,
pearls, but health and happiness as
we'll.