The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-10-11
DETERIORATION BEGINS IN
 THE MOUTH

4AAG AAAVO 4AA
 In Q chapter on Isyorrhea in Cy-
 cIopedia of Medicine, Surgery and Specialtles (Vol. 10, 43) Louis |.
 Grossman, D. D. S., D. M. D., as-
 serts that "genui1e pyorrhea with.
 out Q gingival' (gum) pocket does
 not exist ,'and in the same para.
 graph goes on to say that "alveolar atrophy" (wasting or shrinking of
 tooth sockets, bone, gurn) Is the first stage" (of pyorrhea) followed closely by pocket formation and suppuration."
 Well, I don't know, folks, I'm just plodding door or-to-door doctor and can't follow some of the ex- plantations I find in our medical works. I may be showing my ignor- ance but 1t does seem to me that this presumptive authority on pyor- rhea meets himself coming and go- ing and never bats an eye by way of recognition. Now that doesn't seem very affable. When find my- self in that predicament I stop myself right there and say: Hold on. chun, 1t seems one of us talks too much. Let's step aside and have 6 private canfab about 1t and see If we can't find Q loophole which will save face for uS." Not Dr. 0rossman-but then, I suppose an authority in such 6 conspicuous position can't afford to indulge in such horseplay. Dr. Grossman east bound arbitrarily decides you can't have pyorrhea without g pocket, and then Dr. 0rossTnayl west bound breaks 1t gently that the first stage of pyorrhea is alveolar atrophy and after that pocket formation. To me 1t appears 6 desperate situation Dr. Grossnan has gotten into. The only way out I can see Is this: He can make Q brave try at arguing that the first stage, alveolar atrophy, is not genuine. I have wriggled out of some embarrassing dilemmas by such methods.
 Dentists sometimes diagnose "atrophic gingivitis chronic re- cession of gum tisSue-as condi- ton distinct from frank or "genu- inc" pyorrhea, the dentists say this atrophic gingivitis may be due to CD extreme thinesS of the gum &is- sue-(but that's what I, Brady, sre- gard as atrophy), CD overbrushing of the teeth and (3) some fault or deficiency of the blood or metabol- ism Cor something). Moreover the dentists aver-hang onto your hat, stu-that atrophic gingivitis is observed in clean rather than neg. lected mouths.
 Tn view of my well known optn. ion of the toothbrushing rite suf- flee 1t to say here that in my opinion the dentists notion that "overbrushing the teeth" is Q pos- sible factor of wasting or shrinking or recession (atrophy) of the gums Is absurd. I mean don't believe any such harm comes from brushing the teeth, even if the brushing is carried to extremes. suggest-and do not for a moment forget that I'm no authority II suggest that those who brush their teeth so furiuosly and so futilely general haven't the sense to (D try to keep their nutrition adequate, particular ly the daily intake of minerals and vitaminS, which is essential to maintain the health and vigor of the gum tissues, teeth, jaws; or (O to have regular examination. pro- phylaxis. cleaning of the teeth by the dentists-the only way the teeth can be kept clean, regardless of the use or neglect of toothbrushes.
 From my bull-eye view, (bull in the china shop of dentistry this "atrophic gingivitis," which, like dental carries (decay of the teeth) seems to occur particularly In adults who "overbrush" their teeth is part and parcel of the detoriora- ton, involution, retrogression, de- generation or slow death of jaw bone. gum tissues, tooth-sockets and teeth which process we commonly call pyorrhea.