How Healthy Teeth Help You To Stay Healthy
                     How Healthy Teeth Help 
You To Stay Healthy
Dental Caries
Early studies of the cause and prevention of dental 
caries suggested that there might be a single causative 
factor but further results show that the problem is a 
complex one, with diet, heredity, internal secretions, 
mechanical factors, and oral hygiene of greatest 
importance.
Diet and Dental Caries
Important though diet admittedly is, there does not 
seem to be any single dietary factor that is responsible 
for dental caries. Calcium and phosphorus, the two 
minerals found in bones and teeth, and vitamin D, 
which regulates the utilization of these minerals by the 
body, are essential. 
Cleanliness
It is frequently said that “a clean tooth never decays.” 
Whether or not this is true depends upon the definition 
of cleanliness. If cleanliness implies freedom from 
bacteria, the statement probably is correct. But with 
bacteria constantly present in the mouth and in the 
food we eat, it is impossible to have the teeth 
bacteriologically clean.
Fluorine and Dental Caries
During the past several years investigations have 
taken another turn. It was determined that the only 
chemical difference between carious and non-carious 
teeth is that carious teeth contain less fluorine, a 
chemical element that is present in minute amounts in 
the bones and teeth.
Apical Infections
The so-called “apical abscesses” which develop 
around the roots of teeth are the most dangerous type 
of mouth infection. Infective organisms usually reach 
these areas by traveling from deep cavities down the 
pulp of the tooth and along the root canal. On the other 
hand, abscesses occasionally occur around the roots 
of apparently healthy teeth.
Gingivitis and Pyorrhea
Gingivitis means an inflammatory condition of the 
gums; While Pyorrhea implies that actual pus is 
present. The normal gums are pink or light red, thin 
and firm. If they become bright red or purplish, soft, 
swollen, and spongy, or bleed easily, they should 
receive attention. The causes of an unhealthy 
condition of the gums may be faulty diet, mechanical 
irritation, or bacterial infection.
Trench Mouth
A severe form of gingivitis that received special study 
during the First World War has been called “trench 
mouth.” This is caused by a specific germ and is easily 
communicated from one person to another, either 
directly or indirectly through drinking glasses or eating 
utensils. The treatment of trench mouth is a problem 
for a physician or a dentist.
Care of the Mouth and Teeth
Cleanliness of the mouth and teeth is important from 
an aesthetic as well as from a hygienic point of view. It 
is difficult to keep the mouth clean given the 
irregularities in the shape of the teeth and the crevices 
between them. Nevertheless, by the regular use of the 
toothbrush and dental floss, the teeth may be kept 
relatively free from deposits of food and mucus.
The Toothbrush
A small or medium-sized brush with a straight or 
slightly convex brushing surface seems to give the 
best results. The bristles should be relatively short and 
stiff, with the tufts widely separated and containing 
bristles of different lengths. The expense of the brush 
is not necessarily a criterion of its value.
Tooth Pastes and Powders
The chief merit of dentifrices is that they are pleasant 
to use and encourage regularity in the care of the 
teeth. They contribute but little to the cleansing and 
nothing to the preservation of the teeth. For practical 
purposes, finely precipitated chalk or bicarbonate of 
soda with or without flavoring is an inexpensive, safe, 
and satisfactory dentifrice. The recently developed 
ammoniated dentifrices may prove to have real value 
in preventing caries.
Mouthwashes
The only merit which can be ascribed to Mouthwashes 
is that they give a pleasing sensation of cleanliness. 
They have no antiseptic properties of any 
consequence. If the mouth is healthy, they are 
unnecessary; and if not, they are valueless.
There is some suggestion that the persistent use of 
some of the popular “antiseptic gargles” may be 
harmful.
Dental Care
The selection of a competent dentist is of first 
importance in the care of the teeth. Cheap, 
incompetent dentistry usually means one of several 
things: decay left under fillings to infect the pulp and 
give rise to apical abscesses, poorly prepared cavities 
from which fillings easily become loose, badly fitting 
fillings which permit decay around their edges, difficult 
work neglected, and good teeth sacrificed to poor 
judgment.
Halitosis
The disagreeable odor of the breath may come from 
decayed teeth, from collections of decomposing food 
between the teeth, from infections in the nose or 
sinuses, from plugs in the crypts of the tonsils, or 
malodorous volatile substances eliminated from the 
bloodstream through the lungs. 
Family Dentist in Burlington Ontario
So, it is clear that in order to posses a sound body we 
must have a calm and peaceful mind. Without a sound 
mind we cannot expect our potential growth or 
development.
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(905) 637-8115 [email protected]
Fielding Dental Healthcare
465 Guelph Line
FieldingDentalHealthCare.com
Burlington, ON, 
L7R 3L8