DENTAL DECAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 955, 24 October 1910, Page 7

DENTAL DECAY.

, SOME POPULAR ERRORS. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, October 22. In connection with Dr. PickcriH's research work in dentistry Dr. J. Y. WarMn, president of tho Auckland Dental Association, who was interviewed, said Professor Pickerill was endeavouring to determino tho prima facie cause of dental decay. If'or years tho scientific imen in the dental profession hnd boen tengaged in ;the work of determining _ the ■Arue influence of certain conditions which may possibly play a part in dental decay, chief of these conditions being the so-called hard and soft teeth and tmcleanlincss. "It has been ascertained," proceeded Dr. Warren,, "that' no value need be at-. 'tached to. the ..question of,; hard -or,: soft 1 teeth, -as, ; ixmtrary to the popular idea,' mdividuals'-.witb : ; soft;:teeth ; - are rare, most; people having good teeth structurally;- ".Another- popular {error -that' : Dr. iWarren took-'the . opportunity -of exploding." was -that'. the '-'percentage of lime'salts ; in'drinking 'water had an im- ; portaht bearing bn'jthe question- of den- ■' '"tali;"decay.":' ; . Inorganio lime salts, . he flaid; were-not assimilated by the: bone-, .forming 'tissues.' ... So; far,...said; ; ; ,'Dr. Warren, the■;work? 'accomplished;'■ had :been. chiefly;.;the.';.result-.;of--'.elimination)' *by jvhich'investigators had ; been led 4o conclude -that.the.';, solution :.-of .the .problem; of teeth ,decay'lay .in a; thor•ough',knowledge; of.'saliva.-: '-The gen-•eral-aim-was to determine: (1) The oom,i position';. pf ; the saliva ;.when"dental decay was absent,; and '-when;; it' was 'present. . (2) 'What produced - these'- chan'gen; To; obtain 'these'.; 'object's', it.was' necessary. ;■■ for.those engaged,'in;.the work.to-.haye. such'' data:; : as. Professor--'Pickerill .was seeking.,., : The/composition' of the-sa-liva, depended largely : upon the : food'. 'habit,::: and therefore -it,followed.that -freedom from; dental "decay /could only be obtained by attention:t6:more intelligent; ;dietetic ,'.=hygiene>%l)r.-... iWdrren ri siated'.'ih conclusion' that' he'. : ;c6h'sidered the; Dominion. 'was fortunate .'in having a. man so well, qualified and willing as Dr, Pickerill to engage in this important Work. ..;■.,>.■-;',-,,:.;,-';