The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-03-24
Health Talks
Why We SHOULD CARE FOR
OUR TEETH.
By E. S. WEBER, D. D. S.

OUR TEETH.
By E. S. WEBER, D. d. S. -.
There is only one short period in
life when the mouth is steril (free
from bacteria) and that is just a few
| hours after birth. From the 9th to
The 10th hours it begins to have a
bacterial flora, recognizable at the
10th hour by direct miscroscopic ex-
animation. The first organisms found
are various cocci (staphyococci, Strep-
1ococcl, the pigment-forming cocci of
5he air) and the spore bearing air
bacteria. From this time on the
mouth is the normal. habitat for these
bacteria. Some of them are patho-
genie or disease producing bacteria.
With the appearance of the teeth,
he flora which was previously uni
form throughout the mouth, changes;
| there are added certain other species
which live by preference in the GIN
rival crevice and interproximal
spaces. They are constant and char
acteristic mouth bacteria, but their
presence is to be explained not by any
change in the constitution of the
tissues of the mouth, but in the forma-
ton of spaces where food material
may accumulate and putrefaction may
occur; they are putrefactive bacteria.
This then is one of the reasons why
we should take care of our teeth.
There are some essentials necessary
for the growth and life of bacteria,
namely, light, heat, moister, food,
and air. All these essentials are
found in the mouth, hence we must
at all times keep our mouths in good
| healthy and sanitary condition to ar.
rest the growth and multiplication of
these germs. 1t is through their
growth and multiplication that they
become strong and more virulent
livery venomous: capable of produc-
Ing disease). This growth is en-
couraged when the mouth is neglected
to the extent that deposits form
around the teeth giving them am
abundent supply of food to live on.
Decayed teeth also encourage their
growth, because a decayed tooth is
plainly speaking a rotton tooth, which
harbors rotten and putresent matter,
and it Isl in this kind of medium that
bacteria thrive and multiply more
readily. So it can plainly be seen
how significant it is to keep the mouth
free from deposits and broken down
decayed teeth.
BY keeping the mouth so, we auto
matically build up strong power of
resistance, a fertilization. as it were,
to subdue the attacks of the bacteria.
Bacteria are rightly called "COW-
ARDS" because they never attack
an area that is strongly fortified.
They lie in wait of some area where
the resistance has been lowered,
where the fertilization has been torn
down. There is where they lodge and
cause constant destruction to the
weakened area.
If we neglect our teeth all sorts of
things can happen, such as, carries
decay of the teeth), spungy bleeding
gums, foul breath, gingivitis (inf1am-
alton of the gums), and subsequent
pyorrhea of the gums, abscessed teeth,
and loss of the teeth entirely.
From some of the conditions afore-
named other diseases can originate.
Science has discovered that broken
down abscessed teeth and pyorrhea of
the gums have been the source of
MANY diseases such as, rheumatism,
stomach disorders heart diseases, in
fections in the eye, ear, nose and
throat, as matter of fact, such con-
ditions can be the source of any dis
ease to the organs that are nourished
through the blood stream.
The question might arise as to how
can pyorrhea or abscesed teeth cause
such disorders? For purpose of ex-
PLANTATION, let us sight for example.
a patient who has neglected his
mouth to the extent that pyorrhea has
set in. in the real sense of the word
| L L.
teeth.
In the case of the pyorrhetic pa
tient. he is constantly swallowing
these germs along with his food,
silva. and drinks. By this process
these germs are introduced into the
stomach where the food is partially
prepared for the nourishment. of the
body and it's various organs. These
germs of course accompany the food
that is prepared for the nourishment
7 stated before, bacteria are "COW-
ARDS" they will pick the weakest
organ for Judgement, it may be a
lung, a stomach, heart. or any of
the vital organs. When they find one
that is weak they constantly attack
it until they have overpowered it. By
these constant attacks they will lower
rs resistance to such an extent that
any disease germ can gain entrance
and produce disease.
In the case of the patient with alb
scessed teeth, the process is the same,
avcept that the bacteria get into the
blood stream directly, through the
flood vessels and lvmphatics which
are found at the apex Of the tooth.
The mouth is called "THE GATE
WAY TO INFECTION" and this is
true in every sense of the word.
EVERYTHING that we give our system
for nournishment must primarily go
throneh or rather pass through the
mouth in a sanitary condition, free
from all deposits, all decayed teeth
nvorrhetic conditions, and abscessed
teeth.
| (The subject of the next article by
DR.. Weber viii be PYORRHEA.)
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