The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-09-09
CEREALS AND BAD TEETH

CEbHhLO AND DALI 1EExn
'Tt Is probable" says Edward
Mellanby, distinguished authority
on nutrition and secretary Of the
Medical Research Council in Eng
land, "that cereals also play q part
In including the defective formation
Of the epithelium (of the gums
and the tendency to pyorrhea, just
as they do in the case of dental
structure and carries cavity, de-
cay)."
Many years of careful scientific
investigation Of this important
question by May Mellanby, Edward
Mellanby and their associates have
brought enough evidence to con-
vince the majority Of well in
formed physicians and dentors too
large preponderance of cereals
or cereal products In the diet ia
vors formation Of teeth Of poor
structure (under-developedD with
rough, dull thin enamel, and these
teeth are notably susceptible to
carries. The Mellanbys believe the
cereals contain an anti-calcifying
agent, which they have called
"toxamin", and this agent inter-
feres with the normal assimilation,
utilization and retention in the
tooth structure Of calcium and
phosphorus. The effect of the
"toxamin" in cereals may be
readily neutralized or compensated
or nullified by supplying sufficient
vitamin d in the daily diet or in
take, vitamin D In any form at all
It has been shown that active
carries or decay Of the teeth In
children may be arrested, and
spontaneous healing Of some cayi-
ties brought about, by giving the
children q diet rich in vitanlin D,
calcium and phosphorus. Mellan-
by asserts that If cereals are elm
mated from the diet decay Of the
teeth Is virtually stopped. He re-
marks that altho such a diet may
contain no bread, porridge or other
cereals, 1t includes enough carbo-
hydrate child's needs, in the shape
Of plenty Of milk (lactose, milk
sugar., jam Cevulose or fructose-
fruit sugar; with added sucrose-
beet or cane sugar., table sugar,
syrup, molasses or treacle, honey,
marmalade, jelly, potatoes and
other vegetables. Incidentally 1t
was first noticed (Boyd and Drain)
In this country that cavities In the
teeth Of children with diabetes
healed spontaneously when the
children were given a diet exclude
ing cereals and including plenty Of
vitamin D and the high calcium
phosphorus foods.
Altho Mellanby singles out oat-
meal as the representative "toxa-
min"-bearing cereal (perhaps be-
cause oatmeal Is the popular por-
ridge In England) he states that
the anti-calcifyirg effect of oat-
meal may be removed by boiling
the cereal for half an hour In / TO
2 per cent hydrochloric acid and
then neutralizing; or by adding
some fish liver oil or concentrate;
or by irradiating the oatmeal with
ultraviolet light; or by fortifying
the oatmeal with calcium salts; Or
by adding to the oatmeal synthetic
vitamin D, or even by irradialing
the animal or child with ultraviolet
In sunlight or carbon arc or mer-
cury-vapor quartz lamp.
QUESTIONS q ANSWERS
What, No Answer?
To our careless correspondents: II
you fail to inclose a stamped adj
dressed envelope the chance Of get
ting o reply is slim. II you call your
home town "City" the postoffice
people pretend they don't know
which Of the numerous cities in
North America yours may be. II you
sign your letter with anything else
than your name. OF Doc Brady pre-
tends you never wrote at all.
Have Some Peanuts
Delighted to see your recommen-
dalton Of peanuts as q good staple
food. Took me five years to learn
that peanuts make q real substitute
for meat, milk and eggs any time.
But roasted they are poison to many
persons, whereas any one can eat q
ton Of them raw. Try raw peanuts
and you will enjoy treat. &c. s.
W.
Answer-Thank you. Maybe some
Of our readers will try 'em raw and
let us know. like 'em roasted. Pea
nuts yield 100 calories per ounce,
compard with sirloin steak which
yields about SO calories to the ounce.
Peanuts are irch In calcium and
phosphorus, and contain fair a.
mounts OF vitamin A and vitamin
B-complex. Peanuts are good foor for
growth In animal or man. Peanuts
are not delicacy or @ mere tidbit
but O wholesome, nourishing, econ