Milford chronicle., 1919-09-12
TEETH AND HEALTH
BY X. ALLEN GRIFFITH. D. D. S
ORAL INFECTION

To attribute every ailment TO which
man is heir to mouth infection is poor
logic for either physicians or dentists,
but to close ones eyes TO well proven
facts is equally illogical.
The prevailing heterogeneous in
acute and chronic Assesses Of the
teeth and deep pyorrhea pockets are
the streptocOccus. which are virulent
disease-producing organisms.
There are usually number Of
these foci OF Infection in the mouth Of
the. majority of people from all walks
of life. They are more prevalent
among those who have had consider
able dental service and have sacrificed
their teeth.
Where a large amount of dental
work has been done the patient has
usually had a number of nerves re-
moved. Teeth without nerves are
dead teeth and nearly all such teeth
are infected. These teeth seldom cause
even a degree of pain, but are con-
stanty sending a stream Of poison
into the blood. Such teeth are far
more dangerous than Assesses with
free drainage where the pus can be
seen.
There has been an almost unanimous
confederation of opinion among differ
ent investigators that localized dental
infections have the ability to produce
serious disturbances in the blood yes
sells, joints heart. kidneys, nerves and
various other organs and tissues.
It is also true that tooth assesses. .
like tonsilar and other infections, may
be latent in so far as marked effect
upon the general health is concerned.
nevertheless they are potential sources
of trouble and from a medical stand
point, should be removed. The recOg-
milton of the important relation of al
veOlar abscess to systematic disease ?
Is great step forward. The extreme
negligence Of the past will never re-
urn.
The day is past, too. when the dem
list may indiscriminately remove the
lerves from teeth. Under no condition
should a dentist of today deliberately
emove the nerve for the purpose of
rowning tooth or putting in bridge
work. Dead teeth, and unsanitary
rowns and bridges cause too many
diseases for either dentist or patient |
o take a chance
In the treatment of disease the ply S
ician and dentist should cooperate
q harmony and good will.
The physician should not denOunce \
he teeth as being the cause of all
isease, nor should the dentist ignore d
ne evidence of the X-ray and system '
tic disease. They should labor to-
ether to place the patient in the best u
hysical condition possible. The in o
of all organs of the body .
lould be realized by both and ration =,
methods of diagnosis be recognized.
AT present the physician has the "
Vantage of the argument and he will
'ntinue to have until the dental pro-
ssion as a whole learns to perform
entail restoratiOns that will be 100 4
n cent prophylactic. IS
In normal, healthy mouths virulent r
germs such as those E
consumption, diphtheria, pneumonia. Il
huenza and the pus-prOducing bac- &
ria-of which there are many var x
1es-are always present. IS
The human saliva is at times so I
rulent that animals inOculated with Il
have died within thirty hours. \
1t is therefore, easily seen that the $
eatest duty Of the dental profession q
lay is to assist the public to elm
ate oral infections and to maintain
'an, healthy mouths. ~