Milford chronicle., 1920-07-30
STOPPING INFECTIONS

Infections from the teeth are re-
ceiving a great deal of attention to-
day. Many of the reports seem ex-
aggerated, while many deal with the
subject in q thoroughly sane and wise
manner. They act upon the princi-
pie that if any portion of the body is
producing infections, cut OFF the in
fection at the source and stop the
trouble.
The excellent work of the X-ray
has been responsible for bringing
this class OF disease prominently be-
fore the medical and dental profess
siOns. 1t is unfortunate that there
are still some men to be found in
our profession who are not as care
ful about their artificial substitutes
as could be desired. Their badly
made gold crowns and bridges make
for pus-producing conditions in the
mouth and are one of the largest fac
tors in producing infections in the
mouth. Scarcely q day passes in the
oral surgeons practice, that he is not
called upon to consider the many ills
caused by one or more of these apph-
ances.
There are several causes of infec-
ends of the roots may be discharging
into the mouth from fistula or it
may be blind, that is, having no open 1
ing and the pus being carried away in /
the blood stream. The latter is the 1
far more dangerous type of abscess.
Pyorrhea and bands around the roots
of teeth are other sources of infec-
tion.
A most important class of tooth in
feetions is that of diseased teeth that
give little or no pain or local trouble
but which discharge pus into the ma
sal cavities or into the hollow, spaces
in the head called the maNillary sin
uses. This pus then finds its way ;
thru the nose mo the throat and is
swallowed into the stomach.
1t goes without saying that any
tooth whic his diseased and pouring
pus into the surrounding tissue I
should be treated and cured where
possible. Pus discharging into the I
workshop where food is being pre- !
pared for digestion should not be al {
lowed. {
The alimentary canal is more or
less immune to many infections, but G
a continued supply of pus is almost /
sure, sooner or later, to find some i
weak spot or abrasion in the canal, v
and so produce a seriousl focal in t
lection from the diseased tooth. When
this infection is absorbed directly in y
10 the blood stream, as it must be I
from many mouth infections, the con-
iition is far more serious, and when +
such a tooth cannot be cured and be e
brought into a healthy condition, it Il
ibOrrld bV al r,naauc hn ox~frnafad
S folly to try to conserve a sore ten y
Ter tooth in the mouth. for it inter- ii
eres with masticatiOn and is a con- n
itant source of nervous irritation. d.
A case might be cited of a man II
bout so whose neck was bent for
ward and was so stiff that it could o
lot be turned. Any turning move W
nents were made from the hips only. I'll
The head could not be held erect, and 81
leither arm could be raised high sc
nough to comb his hair. X-rays of tn
he teeth showed all of the teeth in
he upper jaw to be so badly affect NJ
d with pyorrhea that all of them Ell
7ere extracted. He showed marked RI
Improvement at once and inside of ic
'eek was able to use his arms and II
urn his head slightly ST
Three abscessed teeth in the low to
r jaw were extracted at this time, r.
nd he has showed steady improve re
tent for the last six months. While l..
le spine is not straight and may new Ii
r be entirely straight, yet the inn
rovement is very marked. All pain bu
as disappeared and he has regained of
)mplete control of the arms and of p.
lme of the movements of the head. bu
Another more recent case was that
a very stout lady of about 40. who su
as said to be suffering from fatty SCI
generation Of the heart. It was fl Re
ally decided that she might be suf- ala
ring from some form of focal in VII
ction. The X-ray showed several TIN
IDLY liberated teeth, which were ex- TIN
acted, and her recovery has been 81.
'mplete and rapid. In less than two sci
onths she has regained her custom it.
y good health. er