HOME HEALTH GUIDE

Chronicle (Levin), 7 February 1947, Page 8

HOME HEALTH GUIDE

the Department of Health).

PEOTECTrVE DENTISTRY.

(By

Tne prevention of dental caries is bound up with the adoption of soundi balaneed diet for the expeetant rnother, for the infant, and for the growing child. Not enough people know about this or if they know do not praetise it.; and we go on getting dental caries. But having cut oui freetli, at feast we can save them as long as possible from holes. This is calied protective dentistry. Do you remember the old slogan, "A clean tooth will not decay"? Time: went on, folk cleaned their teeth. and' still they decayed. So the clean tooth cult faiied. And yet there was truth in the saymg. Caries does result from the action of acid forming vvhen starchy, sugary foods, ferment alongside the enamel. But at first this .proeess is' microseopie. So that a tooth surface ( which is not t'ree from microscopie | amounts of fennentable foodstuff is liable to decay. The tooth brush by itself cannot achieve the neeessary state of eleanliness, for it fails to reach the deep fissures and to get between teeth. The , toothbrush stimulates gums and eleans accessible surfaces. Something else has to be done, where it cannot reach. j First ly prophylactic lillings are needed to eliminate deep eracks, and secondly, by keeping a high polish and .smoothness between teeth, holes here are diacouraged on these surfaces. This should be done a-t least every 6 months. Protective dentistry will save your teeth. It ineans these things, for your cliild: Frequent and systematic attention to the cleanliness of teeth — the regular and correct use of the toothbrush; thorough dental examination, at least twice a year, with special atterition to between teeth surfaces; the insertion 'of prophlyactic lillings in second teeth before holes occur, to fill np deep clefts; the polishing of every tooth to a smooth surface at not less Lhan six-monthly iutervals. Such protective dentistry will retard caries. See that your child his this type of dental care, either at the school dental clinic, or at your own deutist's I'ooms. ,