Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-03-29
-FOUR MORE DENTAL
CLINICS ARE URGED
d. c. Association Would En-
large School Facilities.
Benefits Are Cited.

Lengthening the span of human
life through longer life Of teeth is
tho practical objective OF a new cam
paign Of the District of Columbia
Dental Association Untitled by its
oral hygiene committee yesterday.
The committee asks the creation of
four additional dental clinics in the
public schools. where there are now
two, and the doubling of the corps of
dental inspectors and hygienists. of
which there are now eight. 1t is
suggested that three of the new
clinics be for white children and one
for colored.
The committee urges also that
every school, as well as the clinics.
should have displayed posters such
as are offered by the Washington
Tuberculosis Association in Its health
campaign, showing the practical
value of preventive dentistry and the
dangerous effects Of delay in treat
ment The committee takes the
ground that more clinics mean really
less work for dentists, as dental in
spection is far less costly than treat
ment; also that proper care OF the
teeth saves both dental and doctor s
bills and avoids discomforts In later
life. The statement of the commit
tee continues;
Indorse Present Work.
1--WE indorse and approve most
heartily the dental hygiene work now
done in the Washington public
schools under the direction OF Or.
William c. Fowler, District of CO.
Iumbia health officer, and DR.. Joseph
A. Murphy, chief medical inspector
of the schools. We tender them our
continued support in their present
work and believe its results are SO
apparent that the scope Of the work
should be Increased by adding 10 the
dental clinics and their personnel.
I'VE believe that a by-product Of
the school work of high value Is the
information in dental hygiene that
children carry into their own homes
We would amplify this interest in care
of teeth by direct contacts with adults
through all agencies that link up with
the schools or with child welfare.
There are few phases OF preventive
medicine which yield such rich re-
turns for such simple precautions as
the care of the teeth. Your teeth viii
last a lifetime, and will help prolong
your lifetime, once you have formed
the fourfold habit Of keeping them
fed, exercised, clean and tested.
by feeding the teeth Is meant
providing children with food that
builds strong, firm teeth, which means
giving them each day plenty of good
milk, leafy vegetables. raw fruits,
whole cereals or well-cooked meats.
Teeth Need Exercise.
Your teeth need exercise. and this
may be had by forming the habit of
chewing hard or firm food to- bring
needed blood to the gums and to give
strength and firmness to the jaws.
Parents should keep children's
teeth clean from the time of the
arrival of the first teeth, by brushing
with some effective brush and dem
thrice at least twice daily on all
tooth and mouth surfaces.
IN tho matter of testing it is
recommended that a child's teeth be
examined by competent dentist at
regular intervals-at least once in
six months"
The oral hygiene committee says 1t
Ia not in sympathy with a scare
head type of campaign to brighten
either adults or children into caring
for their teeth by painting awful
dangers that may follow their neg
lect. But they believe that 1t is
due to parents to point out to them
that heart, kidney and stomach
diseases, and especially arthritis,
commonly called rheumatism. in its
many forms, are types of diseases
directly caused by mouth infections.