WHERE TEETH DO NOT DECAY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 152, 26 December 1923, Page 5

WHERE TEETH DO NOT DECAY

Dentists and toothbrushes are unknown in Porto Santo, a small island north-west of Madiera.' l)r. M. C. Grabham".told a 6cientifio audience in London that he had personally examined the teeth ol one-fifth of the population, and the insignificant number of cases of decay found could be traced to patients' leaving the island and beioK infected elsewhere. He ascribed this to a> great extent to the highly mineralised water springs, which analysis showed to be rich. in chemical salts. A curious fact was that only soft food was eaten, and this in meagre quantities. Food was always taken cold, as also was the native form of coffee, and -as the staple diet was porridge, made from maize, the teeth were never used for mastication. Moat and green vegetables were never eaten, but scurvy was unknown, and neither gastric disorders nor malignant disoase could be discovered, though lie had encountered cases of consumption. A remarkable feature was the appearanoe v of a thin yellow line across the teeth in the upper jaw, which, gradually spread and stained the teeth generally. This was due to the- blood 'circulation extending into; the tooth etructure. as well as to some particular constituent in the local water. The yellow stain was a sure indication of s> sound set of teeth. ■. ■ ■