"THE GATEWAY TO THE BODY."

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 148, 15 August 1911, Page 7

"THE GATEWAY TO THE BODY."

INTERESTING ADVICE ON THE CARE OF THE TEETH, COARSE FOODS NAll RE'S TOOTH-BRUSH. A great deal of attention is being drawn at the present time to the deploiablc state of the teoth of the average Now Zealander, and in tins ernne ction a valuable lecture was delivered at Palmerston on Thursday evening before the local branch of the St. John Ambulance Nursing Division by Mr A. V. Burnard on “The Care of the Teeth.” The lecture was illustrated by models and was intensely interesting. :Mn Burnard explained that the importance of the teeth lies in the fact that the mouth is the gateway to the body. We live by means of food and at - . All food has to he taken through the mouth. A great deal of air is also taken through the same channel, although it should not be. The speaker stressed the importance of tho function of mastication, which is the last act in digestion. The reflex stimulation of mastication causes an increase in the How of saliva, which is necessary for the digestion of all starchy foods. Starchy foods swallowed without being mixed with saliva cannot-be digested. “Without mastication there can be no proper digestion ; without proper digestion no assimilation ; without assimilation, insufficient nutrition; without nutrition, poor health; and with poor health, what is life?” Mr Burnard went on to describe the anatomical structure of the teeth and their development up till the tithe they are in place in the jaws. The important fact to notice is that at the time of birth the crowns of all a child’s temporary teeth are nearly fully formed, and the [f germs of all; the permanent teeth are present. Upon the feeding during the first few years will depend what the teeth will be. The crowns of all The permanent[teeth except the wisdom i teeth will bo formed by the time the I child is about four years old, and 1 once formed they arte never altered. | If defective they must remain so • throughout life. .The Plunket Nurse ' Society has done valuable work in \ calling attention to the fact that the ' food nature has provided for the child during the first nine months of its life is tho ideal food. All artificial substitutes are deficient in the requisite constituents for forming sound teeth. As soon as a child begins to get tooth it should be given food of a character that will give the teoth and jaws exercise, as without that there will he faulty development. The harmful results following the use of -i rubber toats and comforters and thumb sucking by children were also dealt with. Mr Burnard pointed out what potent causes they are in producing irregularities of the teeth. The impel tant function of the temporary teeth'in the development of the jaws and in relation to the permanent set was touched on, tiie evil effects that follow decay and extraction of temporary teeth being emphasised. Dental caries (decay) was next dealt with. It is caused by the action of bacteria causing fermentation of food particles clinging to teeth, the fermentation causing the formation of lactic acid, which dissolves out the lime salts fiom a tooth, thus starting a cavity. Over a hundred different kinds of bacteria have been found in tbe month, same | harmless, but many harmful, and twelve of these are characterised by ~ ! die formation of lactic ar id. After describing the progress of decay to ’* the destruction of the tooth., Mr Bernard dealt with prevention. Tho ■ s . most important thing, he contended, was correct diet. Dental caries have increased concurrently with tho modern refinement of food. Fifty years ago ,i- roller (lorn - was unknown. The old ■il stone mills were used and their product was very much coarser. Fine foods have a tendency to cling to the teeth, while coarser and more fibrous foods act ns nature's tooth-brush. If all reverted to a more rational diet the problem of the decay of the teeth would he solved in the next generation. The lecturer referred to the extensive experiments of Dr Sim Wallace. of Loandan, in regard to this aspect of the subject, showing how lie bad taken a number of children and regulated their diet. 'Those who wore I fed on a dim consisting largely of 1 tough fibrous foods bad perfect tooth, while the others had tire usual amount of decay. Lastly reference was made to tire value of tiro tooth brush in keeping tooth clean. A hear ty vote of thanks was accord- '■ cd Mr Burnard for his valuable address.