DECAY OF TEETH IN CHILDREN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 12 June 1920, Page 2

DECAY OF TEETH IN CHILDREN

(Article Published' Under tlio Authority of the Education Department.) ' 8 Of all problems ■ relating-to public health aml efficiency, the prevention; of the decay of teeth is .second to none in importance. its causes may ho divided into two groups—those leading to poor structure, softness, and weak resistance, to decay on the part of the teeth themselves; and those which bring about conditions in the mouth that are injurious to teeth of even the most resistive type. Loth sets of causes are essentially mutters of nutrition and- diet, and are mostly preventable. It is the object of this article to cal! attoiiHoni to some causes of the second group. Decay is immediately due to the fermentation of starchy and sugary food in the crevices of the teeth. This fermentation gives rise to an acid; and this acid dissolves the lime of the enamel, and eventually eats through it, exposing the sol'teu parts of the tooth to genus of decay. As^ long us the enamel is intact, decay is impossible. Has it been an oversight on the part of Nature that- this acidforming fermentation should take place, and destroy the enamel? No! A study of the function and composition of the saliva shows that this is not so. THE USES -OF THE SALIVA. Healthy saliva has the power of digesting and dissolving, and. therefore, of clausing from the teeth just that kind of food which undergoes acid fermentation. Such saliva is alkaline, and therefore at once neutralises any acids that is formed (before the fermenting food is washed away). These tw 0 properties of tire saliva, if sufficiently powerful, should effectually i prevent decay. Why, then,, doe's decay occur? The reason is found to a great extent in the foods we eat. EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT FOOD ON THE FLOW OF SALIVA. It is found that certain foods have the effect of causing an abundant How of strongly active saliva —strong in its digestive and cleansing power, and strong in its anti-acid properties. Others have, a reverse effect. Apples and oranges and other acid fruits are the most powerful of the former class; the latter consists of most of the modern, artificially refined and manufactured food stuffs, which \in more ways than one are undermining the physique and health of civilised peoples. FVir.S OF ARTIFICIAL FOODS. Such foods are an oyer-abundance of sugar, especially in the form of sweets, chocolate being the most deleterious of these, biscuits and bread made from white flour, a hid other overrefined starchy foods. All these fods, besides chocking the How of saliva, are pasty, and readily i stick to the teeth, and at the same time are easily „ fermentable, quickly giving rise to the destructive lactic acid. Such foods also are deficient in mineral salts, which are essential for the building of bones and teeth, and in the more vita} elements of nutrition, known as vitamTnes, which play osneh. a prominent part in healthy growth. THE VALUE OF FRUIT. To' correct this checking of the protective action of the saliva, more acid fruit, such as apples. and oranges, should be eaten at the dose of a meal. An apple, or piece of apple, eaten at the end of of a meal causes a copious How of strongly active saliva. Fruit, however, is to many—especially to those with large .families, who most require it—a -'food .of prohibitive expense. THE FRUIT ACID MOUTH WASH. A fruit-acid mouth wash, an avtilicial form of .orangg. juice, on. the lines recommended by Fro lessor Pickevili, has a similar effect in stimulating a cleansing flow of saliva. It i? very cheap, and children like it immensely. In. connection with the Vneclical Inspection of school children, this (mouth wash is being i ccomincnded. Fruit, it must not be forgotten, has other valuable properties as a- food besides its cleansing effect in the month. TOOTH BRUSH DRILL IN THE .SCHOOLS. Tooth brush drill, combined with the. use of this wash, is about to bo instiluted in all schools throughout the Dominion. It is obtainable in dry form, to be shaken up. with water, from all chemists, and an explanatory leaflet with directions is put up with each package. It is used separately, or in eon junction with the brushing of the V ITAIi ! M FORT A NOE OF-THE ' CARE , OF THE TEETH. It is a well established fact that there is, without, exception, no _ other factor "which directly br indirectly causes so much disease and ill-health as decay of the teeth. From the point of view of appearance and personal attractiveness, of avoiding suffering, and deriving. greater pleasure from life, as well as for the more urgent reasons of Wealth.,, 'ahealthy mouth is, without exception, the most valuable asset a- person can ever possess. * Parents can assist greatly to this very desirable end by seeing that full effect is given to the above suggestions.