THE TOOTHACHE GERM.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17585, 14 October 1922, Page 11

THE TOOTHACHE GERM.

HEALTHY TEETH. (FROM trca OWN correspondents.) LONDON, August 30.. Very keen professional interest ia taken in tho dental exhibition at the Imperial Institute, whore all tho latest appliances for the perfection of dental services may be seen, examined, and applied. It is almost a® much an education for the dental practitioner as it would bo for the layman were he Admitted, for, as on previous occasion#, the professional nature of the exhibition is maintained by tho exclusion of the general public. . What interests others tx>sides dentists is tho discovery of the "toothache microbe." Three scientists have been working on this problem at the Middlefox Hospital, ana «t the exhibition they show slides of tho organism they believe to be tho cnuso of tno trouble. Professor J. Macintosh, Dr. Warwick James, and Profr-ssor P. Lnsarus Barlow have boon trying for a lonjr time to isolate this microbe, arid they believe they luiv® succeeded. A germ has been identified by tl:oso researchers, and evidence of its association with this disease pTWiuo&d. Other ■workers believe that it is necessary to look even farther back than bacteriology to causes which enable germs of any sort to flourish in the mouth. Certain it is that carious tooth afo seldom the only sign or symptom of unfitness in those suffering from them. Tho oldfashioned idea that strong teeth and luxuriant hair hm to be taken as evidence of robust general health may yet, it would seem, find ft now jwtinciition. During tho exhibition it is hoped to give lectures on investigations recently made of tho bacterial origin of dental caries. Tho theory that decay ia brought about by a germ which lodges itself in the outer enamel covering is an entirely new one and it is fitting that tho subject should bo further explored at a gathering of experts. Electro-Therapeutics. Tho exhibition aho illustrates tha progress that has been made in dental electro-therapeutics. Tho modern dentist has dispensed with the old footpedal grinder, and in its.plnoo has installed nn electro-dental apparatus which, in addition, can be used for liotair cautery, irotiio medication, month illumination, electro-sterilisation, pulp diagnosis, electric vibratory rctwaage, etc. The whole apparatus is contained in a compact nickel-plated table, which oan be attached from any lighting plug or lamp-holder. A rheostat regulator enables the operator to control t the amount of current, nndi so simple is the entire, outfit that it j'equires but tho turn of a switch to put it in motion. Gas inhalers, X-rays, fojreep* of all ehap63 fend sizes, and other contrivances which strike terror into tho heart of tho average -visitor to the dentist's r operating room ere there in abundance, but the "atmosphere" is missing, am the rieitor can inspet't, haadte, and oven oriticm them openly and fewkealy. Shades In Teeth. Oases of artificial teeth, too, make a striking show —in substance varying from ivory to solid Took. "Sounds oddT , doesn't it?" said the representative of one Arm in illustrating the ■method of blasting rot?k for dentd purposes. ; Nevertheless, tho bass of all poroalnin. from which the majority of artificial teeth are made, is tho mineral foid« spar, quarried in much the tsamo w*y other stones. Artificial teeth, howevar, require a supremo grade of feldspar, Imicauae they are tho highest development of the porcelain art, and tho quomea which can boast of producing dentaJ spar are limited. - Many jno«tem porcekin teeth are shown in all the natural sbsyies that' camouflage their artificiality, if tho teeth flhoiv slightly blue or transparent, at tho tips tills efta bo imitated exactly, and even tho discolouration dud to to- , bdcco stain cim be copied, so thav the artificial denture* will look likfr thrill brothers to the real ones. Tfrfcrfc &ya - oven uhown sets of falsa teeth ft* black as ebony, intended for married ladies, With, whom it i« tha oiUtoift to stain the' te«th black with Wtol nut to denote their morrted etate. Treatment, on Pawl Plan. A further mow towards stabilising ' tho professional position of th« dsutfas is rsoen in •ti»i oesiro . esravewad fcyiftt .v: groat many of .them to hav* dimtfci - benefit included aa a standard bofcefit . under tho National InsUxanos Aet«. This is a question which ia to ha (fehatea &t a congress, when it ia to hop«cl ' that the Incorporated Best si Sfoefety will ,b« able to formulate And miwiort i* i scheme .for tlie fcivmfl ~pf ! dsmbal treatment on the panel plan. ' Some of the approved noaletie# are will* i ing to show in a. practical way their opinion that it would W ttA Important' i move for their constituent members, ; though as yaii auoh a tthenw is only t official for ilrtw yearn, The whole tendency of therapeutics /to-day ia to include the (fefitfat A* A higWy vaiuabfo apwsiaiiafc in margsn', 'A-hile tha iimdioiw position oimwa 6y thci impunity of urns dental quack hea been wtoedtas.