Milford chronicle., 1920-06-04
TEETH AND HEALTH
By r. ALLEN GRIFFITH, D. D. S.
CAUSES OF FOCAL INFECTION

" II WAL
Focal infection is the cause of man
diseases, but the original foct are few
Aside from veneral diseases. all iii.
eases that enter the human svste,
must enter thru the mouth. nose n
a break in the skin. Records of ~
Minnesota University Hospital sbo,
that 30 to so per cent of tba ad7,i,
sions to the medical service are tbos
as a result of troubles denendant %,
mouth infections.
As the lining mebranes of the nos,
are Well protected from the action n
mlcro-organisms, we must look 10 tb,
mouth and throat for the Original
point or focus where these disea -.
producing germs grow and are distri.
Duted through the system to set mn a
secondary disturbance or disease
IN the unclean human mouth are IN
De found the necessary environment
Tor prolific growth of micro-organ-
lsms. Here we have the necessar ~
neat, food, darkness and LODGING
places that are exactly to their fltino
cavities in the teeth are always
hlled with decaying food and germs
Food decompOses in about fftv min
utes IN the mouth, and the germs mul-
tlply rapidly and are being constantly
swept into the system. If Won will
Ieel your teeth with your tongue. Won
VIII discover Shiny albuminous film
Whlcn Is constantly formed In time
the MIN, II allowed to remain, will be-
come stained, and will harden into
tartar This film is the cause of de-
cay, for 1t holds the particles of food
and the acid-forming germs of fermen-
tation. 1t then holds the acid in con-
tact with the teeth until it DESTROYS
the enamel
Teeth kept free from this film will
not decay, because the acid will not
De kept in contact with the teeth
long enough.
The microscope shows this film to
De jungle OF bacteria-many varie-
ties OF which are disease-producing
The dental name for this film is
bacterial plaque" These bacterial
plaques are another source of infee- /
ton.
This plaque (film) catches and holds
the microscopic particles of organic I
salts that are always present in the .
saliva and forms tartar"
The first sign of tartar is a slight
roughness on the inside of the lower
front teeth. 1t is a hard, chalky sub
stance, and is another hot bed for bac-
terra.
An accumulation of tartar where
the teeth join the gums is the most
frequent cause of pyOrrhea. The
tartar irritates and the germs infect
the delicate gum tissue. The gum tis-
sues are broken down into pus, and
as the infection is continued the saft
bone tissue that surround the teeth
(called the alveloar process) is de- ,
stroyed. When a sufficient amount of ]
the alveolar process is destroyed the /
.eeth become loose, and if not attend
I'd to in time fall out. Pyorrhea pours
1 vertiable river Of pus continuously {
ntO the system.
Assesses are another and possible q
he most dangerous sources in infec- I
ion. Assesses with gum boils are
| result of a dead nerve in a tooth i
hat has become infected. The ordi-
lar assesses comes to a head and @
discharges into the mouth the pain e
,eases, but the abscess is a greater t
menace to health than when it was -l
ischarging. Assesses never cure
but continue to discharge G
continuous stream Of pus into the a
ystem as long as the infected tooth L
emains in the mouth. G
No tooth which has been abscessed Il
hould under any circumstances be al t,
owed to remain in the mouth. b
Many dentists claim to be able to il
ure all abscessed teeth, but scien- d
sts have proved concusively that not n
My are assesses seldom cured, but h
lat So per cent of all the teeth whose il
erves have been killed by dentists
re infected. v
In face of these figures the physi- "
an is safely justified in ordering all N
cad teeth extracted where his pa
ent is suffering from the results of b.
fection. How can any dentist just tC
the indiscriminate killing of a nerve Ell
the face of these facts? The greater
ajority of these dead teeth never l.
luse the least bit of pain, which only W
axes them the more dangerous.
The last great source of infection in 81
e mouth is dental work. NJ
As a general rule it can be said of
dividuals whose teeth have received pI
.reful attention that the amount of iti
outh infection varies largely with fe
e amount of dental work and that
,ry few individuals with a consider at
lie amount of dental work are free MI
ON it. Filings, crowns and bridges La
we not been constructed with a par at
mount purpose of avoiding sepsis. NJ.
Thus we see that a very large part Br
the infection that causes disease or
mates in the mouth. NJ.
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