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The prevention of dental disease
The International Journal of Orthodontia and Oral Surgery PUBLISHED THE FIFTEENTH OF EVERY MONTH BY
THE C. V. MOSBY CO., 801·809 Metropolitan Bldg., St. Louis, Mo. Foreign Depots-Great Britain-Henry Kimpton, 2(13 High H alborn, London, W. C.; Australasia-Stirling & Co., 317 Collins Street, Modern Chambers, Melbourne; India-"Practical Medicine," Egerton Street, Delhi; Porto Rico-Pedro C. Timothee, Rafael Cordero 68, San Juan, P. R. Subscription Rates-Single copies, 50 cents. To anywhere .in United States, Cuba, Porto Rico, Canal Zone, Mexico, Hawaii and Philippine Islands, $3.00 per year in advance. Under foreign postage, $3.40. English price: 15/ per annum, 1/6 per number. Volume begins with January and ends with December of each year. Remittances-Remittances for subscriptions should be made by check, draft, postoffice or ex' press money order, or registered letter payable to the publishers, The C. V. Mosby Company. Contributions-The editor will be pleased to consider the publication of original communications of merit on orthodontic and allied subjects, which must be contributed solely to this journal. Opinions-Neither the editor nor the publisher hold themselves responsible for the opinions of contributors, nor are they responsible for other than editorial statements. Reprints-Since it is not desirable to hold type standing longer than absolutely necessary, all r equests for reprints should be made at time of submitting manuscript for publication. Rate card will be sent with galley proof.
Communications-Contributed articles, illustrations, letters, books for review, and all other matter pertaining to the editorial department should be addressed to the Editor, Doctor Martin Dewey, 25 East Washington Street, Chicago, Ill. AU communications in regard to advertising, subscriptions, change of address, etc., should be addressed to the publishers, The C. V. Mosby Company, 801-807 Metropolitan Building, St. Louis, Mo. Illustrations-Such halftones and zinc etchings as in the judgment of the editor are necessary to illustrate articles will be furnished when photographs or drawings are supplied by the authors of said articles. Advertisements-Objectionable advertisements will not be accepted for publication in this journal. Forms close first of month preceding date of issue. Advertising rates and sizes on apptication. Change of Address-The publishers should be advised of change of subscriber's address about fifteen days before date of issue with both new and old addresses given. Nonreceipt of Copies-Complaints lor nonreceipt of copies or requests for extra numbers must be received on or before the fifteenth of the month of publication; otherwise the supply is apt to be exhausted.
Entered at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as Second-Class Matter.
EDITORIALS The Prevention of Dental Disease
D
E NT A L diseases, says the Medica: Record, for some time have been fruit- ful subject for discussion. To an infected condition of the mouth and gums has been attributed a variety of diseases, more or less serious, and undoubtedly it is in this respect a factor of very considerable importance. The causes of dental caries, according to Mr. J. G. Turner (Journal of State AIedicine, London, September, 1918), have been shown by experiment to be two: (1) The presence of carbohydrates, starches and sugars; (2) The presence of gt:rms. Carnivorous and grass-eating animals are free from caries. The Esquimaux used to be practically carnivorous, and it was found on examination of
21)8
International Journal of Orthodontia and Oral Surgery
skulls from an old Esquirnaux graveyard that they did not suffer from caries. But today they have added fine flour and molasses to their dietary and are afflicted with caries. It has been stated frequently by some authorities that masticating hard food acts as a preventive of tooth decay by giving the jaws exercise and that a great deal of the decay existing is due to the ingestion of soft pappy foods. However, Turner is inclined to throw some cold water on the theory and is of the opinion that big jaws and fine teeth are more a racial characteristic than a product of much use of the teeth. So far as diet is concerned, he points out that the eating of fruit decidedly cleans the teeth on account of its acid content. With regard to the prevention of caries, Turner insists that the one essential is thorough cleaning, that is, every tooth which is exposed in the cavity of the mouth should be well rubbed once a day. The toothbrush must be supplemented by the use of waxed silk thread so as to scour each interstitial surface. At all schools a nurse's time would be well spent in teaching and supervising the cleaning of children's teeth, and such teaching should be begun at the earliest possible age. It is urged that if this plan were conscientiously carried out much of the dental caries which now exists so widely would be prevented and at the same time the sequelae of prolonged dental disease would never occur. Turner lays down as the great principle of treatment that septic teeth are far more injurious than absence of teeth and that therefore the treatment of both caries and pyorrhea when well established should be carried on somewhat on the lines of forestry, removing some to isolate others. That artificial teeth are not a necessity is a statement with which many persons will find fault, although it is doubtless true that some of the mechanical dentistry which is undertaken nowadays does more harm than good. From the esthetic standpoint alone artificial teeth are more or less essential and the scientific dentist is as necessary for the proper conduct of the hygiene of the mouth as the all 'round hygienist and sanitarian is to the preservation and maintenance of the public health. The value of the dentist has been conclusively demonstrated by the war.
Care of the Teeth and Child-Welfare
T
H E Council of National Defense, although originally created for the purpose of fostering and promoting our war activities, has extended its sphere of influence and proved its value in such a manner as to merit being continued as a permanent institution. Take, for instance, the Child-Conservation Section of the Field Division. Of course, the movement of promoting child conservation is an entirely proper one, on purely economic grounds, as an appropriate field for the activities of the Council of National Defense. It gains additional importance, since a serious and somewhat humiliatingly large proportion of the young men were found physically defective during the selective-service examinations. The point of these remarks is, to refer to the recent suggestion, by the ChildConservation Section, to the state chairmen of child-welfare, according to which
THE C. V. MOSBY CO., 801·809 Metropolitan Bldg., St. Louis, Mo. Foreign Depots-Great Britain-Henry Kimpton, 2(13 High H alborn, London, W. C.; Australasia-Stirling & Co., 317 Collins Street, Modern Chambers, Melbourne; India-"Practical Medicine," Egerton Street, Delhi; Porto Rico-Pedro C. Timothee, Rafael Cordero 68, San Juan, P. R. Subscription Rates-Single copies, 50 cents. To anywhere .in United States, Cuba, Porto Rico, Canal Zone, Mexico, Hawaii and Philippine Islands, $3.00 per year in advance. Under foreign postage, $3.40. English price: 15/ per annum, 1/6 per number. Volume begins with January and ends with December of each year. Remittances-Remittances for subscriptions should be made by check, draft, postoffice or ex' press money order, or registered letter payable to the publishers, The C. V. Mosby Company. Contributions-The editor will be pleased to consider the publication of original communications of merit on orthodontic and allied subjects, which must be contributed solely to this journal. Opinions-Neither the editor nor the publisher hold themselves responsible for the opinions of contributors, nor are they responsible for other than editorial statements. Reprints-Since it is not desirable to hold type standing longer than absolutely necessary, all r equests for reprints should be made at time of submitting manuscript for publication. Rate card will be sent with galley proof.
Communications-Contributed articles, illustrations, letters, books for review, and all other matter pertaining to the editorial department should be addressed to the Editor, Doctor Martin Dewey, 25 East Washington Street, Chicago, Ill. AU communications in regard to advertising, subscriptions, change of address, etc., should be addressed to the publishers, The C. V. Mosby Company, 801-807 Metropolitan Building, St. Louis, Mo. Illustrations-Such halftones and zinc etchings as in the judgment of the editor are necessary to illustrate articles will be furnished when photographs or drawings are supplied by the authors of said articles. Advertisements-Objectionable advertisements will not be accepted for publication in this journal. Forms close first of month preceding date of issue. Advertising rates and sizes on apptication. Change of Address-The publishers should be advised of change of subscriber's address about fifteen days before date of issue with both new and old addresses given. Nonreceipt of Copies-Complaints lor nonreceipt of copies or requests for extra numbers must be received on or before the fifteenth of the month of publication; otherwise the supply is apt to be exhausted.
Entered at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as Second-Class Matter.
EDITORIALS The Prevention of Dental Disease
D
E NT A L diseases, says the Medica: Record, for some time have been fruit- ful subject for discussion. To an infected condition of the mouth and gums has been attributed a variety of diseases, more or less serious, and undoubtedly it is in this respect a factor of very considerable importance. The causes of dental caries, according to Mr. J. G. Turner (Journal of State AIedicine, London, September, 1918), have been shown by experiment to be two: (1) The presence of carbohydrates, starches and sugars; (2) The presence of gt:rms. Carnivorous and grass-eating animals are free from caries. The Esquimaux used to be practically carnivorous, and it was found on examination of
21)8
International Journal of Orthodontia and Oral Surgery
skulls from an old Esquirnaux graveyard that they did not suffer from caries. But today they have added fine flour and molasses to their dietary and are afflicted with caries. It has been stated frequently by some authorities that masticating hard food acts as a preventive of tooth decay by giving the jaws exercise and that a great deal of the decay existing is due to the ingestion of soft pappy foods. However, Turner is inclined to throw some cold water on the theory and is of the opinion that big jaws and fine teeth are more a racial characteristic than a product of much use of the teeth. So far as diet is concerned, he points out that the eating of fruit decidedly cleans the teeth on account of its acid content. With regard to the prevention of caries, Turner insists that the one essential is thorough cleaning, that is, every tooth which is exposed in the cavity of the mouth should be well rubbed once a day. The toothbrush must be supplemented by the use of waxed silk thread so as to scour each interstitial surface. At all schools a nurse's time would be well spent in teaching and supervising the cleaning of children's teeth, and such teaching should be begun at the earliest possible age. It is urged that if this plan were conscientiously carried out much of the dental caries which now exists so widely would be prevented and at the same time the sequelae of prolonged dental disease would never occur. Turner lays down as the great principle of treatment that septic teeth are far more injurious than absence of teeth and that therefore the treatment of both caries and pyorrhea when well established should be carried on somewhat on the lines of forestry, removing some to isolate others. That artificial teeth are not a necessity is a statement with which many persons will find fault, although it is doubtless true that some of the mechanical dentistry which is undertaken nowadays does more harm than good. From the esthetic standpoint alone artificial teeth are more or less essential and the scientific dentist is as necessary for the proper conduct of the hygiene of the mouth as the all 'round hygienist and sanitarian is to the preservation and maintenance of the public health. The value of the dentist has been conclusively demonstrated by the war.
Care of the Teeth and Child-Welfare
T
H E Council of National Defense, although originally created for the purpose of fostering and promoting our war activities, has extended its sphere of influence and proved its value in such a manner as to merit being continued as a permanent institution. Take, for instance, the Child-Conservation Section of the Field Division. Of course, the movement of promoting child conservation is an entirely proper one, on purely economic grounds, as an appropriate field for the activities of the Council of National Defense. It gains additional importance, since a serious and somewhat humiliatingly large proportion of the young men were found physically defective during the selective-service examinations. The point of these remarks is, to refer to the recent suggestion, by the ChildConservation Section, to the state chairmen of child-welfare, according to which