Milford chronicle., 1920-05-28
TEETH AND HEALTH
By r. ALLEN GRIFFITH, D. D. S.
FLU AND THE DENTIST

The cost of the influenza epidemic
to the insurance companies had pass
ed 500 O00, 900 on December 10, and
il was estimated that it might reach
Sl25.OOO 600 by the first of the year.
After making all allowances, ac-
tuaries are pretty well agreed that
the deaths caused directly by intiu-
enza and indirectly by pneumonia
reached 300 900 by the first OF the
year-six times greater than our to-
tai losses killed in the great war.
From time to time there have been
epidemics of influenza which, start
ing sporadically in certain localities,
were within a short time carried all
over the world Such epidemics oc-
Cured in 1S30-33 1S47-4S and iSS9-9O.
The bacteria that is the most fire.
duent cause Of true influenza is the
bacillus discovered by Pfeiffer in 1892.
There are other types of influenza,
however. brought about by other mi
crO-Organisms, such as streptococcuc,
staphylococeus, and appearing even
in severer forms. With this knowl-
edge in mind, let us look into the re-
cent epidemic that has scourged the
world, taking a toll of lives in a few
months probably equal to those lost
in the entire four years of the war.
While the disease is called 'infuen-
"a" we are not dealing with the true
influenza due to the Pfeiffer vacillus,
except in a small percentage OF cases,
but mostly with a streptococcic infec-
ton of the respiratory tract. The
pneumococcus is also found in a great
number of cases, but those who have
studied the disease are more or less
agreed that the streptococcus hemoly-
ticus and viridens share at least an
equal responsibility. For example, in
one locality the sputub OF 74O pneu-
monia cases was examined, with the
result that the pneumococcus was
found in 191 cases, streptOcoccuc in
451 and the influenza organism in
only 3S.
Aside from the respiratory type,
some Investigators recognize the gas
tro-intestinal and nervous types,
where catarrhal symptoms are not
marked. The not infrequent occur
rences of these aforementioned types,
without respiratory manifestations,
positively excludes the respiratory
type as a form of the disease. This
being the case some investigators
claim that in its inception, epidemic
influenza is neither contagious, infec-
tious nor communicable.
The bacteria that are responsible
are always present in the human
mouth. But how do bacteria, asso-
ciated equally with health and dis
ease, become disease producing, as
in the infiuenZas and pneumonias?
Years ago DR.. G. Frank Lydston es-
tablished the theory Of microbial evo-
luton and showed that, according to
conditions micro-organisms may vary,
diminish or increase their disease
producing properties.
The predominance of the streptocOc-
Gus as a cause of influenza and pneu-
monia is of particular interest to the
dentist, for it is with this micro-or-
ganism that he is especially familiar.
In every infected tooth and in pyorT-
hea the streptococcus viridens is al
most always the predominating micro
organism. It is well known that the
streptecoccuc may be either quiescent
or hyper-active and capable of chang
ing into other and more virulent ty-
pes of micrO-organisms. At no time
is it completely harmless.
To the dentist, then, should we look
for rerief from future outbreaks of
influenza. If a gOodly number Of in
fiuenza cases are due to the streptoc-
occus and these are in turn introduce
ed into the system either thru dead
teeth or pyorrhea. the dentists re-
sponsibility to his patient becomes
more direct and of a graver nature.
Here is where prevention" shows up
stronger than ever. By eliminating
the strongholds of bacteria from the
mouths Of our patients and by prac-
ticing oral hygiene we will give our
patients a fighting chance, not only in
influenza but in all other diseases
caused by streptOcoccus infections.
The indiscriminate removal Of the
nerves of the teeth is little short of
criminal in our day. Failure to rec
ognize and treat pyorrhea in its early
stages is almost as bad.
Attention to personal and especial
ly to mouth hygiene rather than reg
ulation of the public by constituted
authorities is certainly the best means
of warding of the scourge Of infiuen-
"a.