Milford chronicle., 1919-09-05
TEETH AND HEALTH
p r. ALLEN GRIFFITH, D. D. S.
MALNUTRITION

MALNUTRITI0N
MANY articles have recently appear
cd in newspapers in regard to malnu-
trition among the school children. In
snficient food is generally supposed
~ he the only cause. Too little food
~ improper food is of the utmost i'm
oortance, not only to the children, as
Children, but for their adult life as
The American Open Air School
1onrnal says that of 54S,OO0 schoo
obildren examined in the United States
sbout 10000 were undernourished.
II would seem that our various
.cbool boards or State governments,
as mater of political economy, as
we'll as human mercy, would find some
means to supply adequate food to the
growing children.
a healthy body is necessity If any
form of education is to be drilled into
The mind. Next to too little food, bad
teeth. no doubt, contribute more to-
ward malnutrition than any other fac
tor The physical examination of the
school children shows that from 80
IN 80 per cent are in need of immed
diate dental treatment
The children that have come under
observation average from eight to ten
cavities each, usually accompanied by
two or three broken down abscessed
teeth which are continually pouring
ms into the system and undermining
the health of the child.
How can a child possibly be we'll
nourished, no matter what the guam
titv or quality of the food, if it is mix
ed with the fetid decayingpmass of food
from the cavities in the teeth with its
millions of germs of putrefaction and
ms germs from abscessed teeth?
This constant drain of poison into
the Intestinal tract causes stomach and
intestinal troubles. Bacterial products
are absorbed into the system and pro-
duce fevers, headaches, eyestrain, an
emia. malaise and constipation.
The poisons from the mouth are in
sidious and slow in their action. Many
can and do withstand them for years,
but Just as surely as water will wear
away stone, so will the products of
decomposing food in the mouth soon
destroy a good digestion and under
mine the system.
There is no time in life when thor
ough masticatiOn is so important as it
is during the growing period.
A child usually masticates its food
very vigorously. 1t is unfortunate
that children's teeth should be allowed
to decay until chewing becomes
painful operation This causes the
child to swallow the food without
chewing, a habit that usually lasts
through life.
A child cannot be expected to de-
yelOp into a healthy adult with a
strong mind if it is derived of efficient
means of chewing it's food properly, or
if the food must pass through an in
fected, uncared-fOr mouth. Every
mouthful of food for the human body
that passes through such a mouth ma
turally is mixed with numerous col
onies of bacteria.
Is it any wonder that such children
are sickly and lacking in strength? 1?
Is it any wonder that they are not
bright and intelligent, and many times
figure in the mentally deficient classes
in school?
No child can be expected to grow in
stature or mentality that is not prop /
erly nourished.
Where but in the unclean human /
mouth is found the germs Of cerebrO- [
spinal meningitis, measles, scarlet
fever diphtheria, ready to set up their
specific disease as soon as the resis-
tance is lowered?
These unfortunates are not only be-
ing deprived of their measure of edu
cation, but are endangering the health
of other children because of their sus
ceptibility to infectious disease. The
public should be brought to realize
that the condition of the child's health
is a part of their business and insist I.
upon having these conditions rem
edied.
Taking, then, this specific knowledge
as to the deleterious effect of a dis
eased mouth and malnutrition upon
the child, school, state and nation into
consideration, it becomes a great So
Geological problem that should appeal
to all those interested in child well
fare
The problem of nutrition will be4
settled within the first three inches
Of the alimentary canal.