Milford chronicle., 1920-04-09
TEETH AND HEALTH
By R. ALLEN GRIFFITH, D. D. S.
DENTAL CARE

Every child should be taught the
urst three cares Of person III civil
lied breeding: care OF teeth. care oil
hair and care Of the hands and finger
nails.
The care of the teeth not only adds
to the appearance but has a more di-
rect bearing on the general health
than any other one thing over which
we have control.
Care OF the teeth should begin in
childhood, for the second set of teeth
largely depend upon the care given
the baby teeth for their perfect de-
yeloPment II the baby teeth are un-
cared for and are allowed 20 decay
and to be prematurely lost. the sec
ond set is frequently irregular. and
the germs being present in The mouth
in large numbers readily cause The
second set to decay.
In many cases a cavity full OF germs
VIII be next to second tooth that is
Just coming in. This cavity fun OF
germs and dec0mpOsing food carried
from one meal TO another is in direct
contact with the new tooth, and 1t is
caused to decay, in many cases. be-
fore it has entirely erupted
The streptOcoccus and staphylOcoc-
Gus are always present in large num-
bers in the unclean Truman mouth. and
play an important part in the dis
eases Of childhood as ell as other dis
eases.
Under a variety of conditions. as
during whooping cought, scarlatina
and measles, typhoid lever. etc, or it
may be entirely apart from any COM
plicating disorder, an acute inflam-
nation of the upper air passages Of
the throat occurs, which is associated
with and is apparently induced by the
growth of strepOcocci
Under varting conditions this in
flammatory process is local and runs
its course with or without symptoms
which arise from the absorption of
pus and its products. On the other
hand abscess formation may take
place and be drawn into the lungs.
thus inducing varying phases OF com
plicating brOnchO-pneumOnia.
This inflammation of the upper air
passages is caused by the staphyloc-
occus and not infrequently associated
with the streptocOccus.
Stimulating very closely as il does
in many cases, both the local and gen
eral phenomena OF diphtheria. this
disorder has formerly been confound-
ed with ii, and has been only recent
~ recognized as a distinct phase Of
disease 1t is now most frequently
called pseudo-diphthera.
Ii seems in part to cover the con-
ditiOn formerly known as Group, in
part those cases formerly thought to
be mild diphtheria.
This may all seem very complicated
and it is Ii Will give some idea OF
the difficulty a physician has in dag
n0sing all of these conditions.
The point the parent should re-
member is that not only may these
childhood diseases be prevented, but
that these complications can be sure
" prevented by keeping the mouths of
their children clean and the teeth
filed.
The streptocOccus and staphylocOc-
cus are always present in the mouth
They multiply rapidly in cavities in
he teeth and upon unclean surfaces
lf the teeth. They multiply most rap
dly in the assesses at the roots of
eeth; in fact, the discharge from alb
often gives a pure culture of
heSe germs.
Doesn't it seem, then. where care
If the teeth may not only prevent dis
,ases. but even preserve the very life
If your child, that it is a crime Of the
irst magnitude to neglect them?
Even where these diseases do not
ill, they frequently leave scars that
re carried through life.
Care for your children's teeth and
our own as we'll