RELATION OF DIETS TO TEETH 



111 



recede, become swollen and inflamed, and the teeth may loosen 

 in their sockets. This is one type of pyorrhea which a dentist 

 may be able to prevent. " -^ 



When the teeth decay, pus is 

 frequently formed and absorbed 

 by the blood. The pus may 

 travel through the body and 

 may settle in the valves of the 

 heart, causing a heart defect, or 

 in the joints, causing rheuma- 

 tism. Besides this, decayed The contours of a profile may be changed by 

 , . 11 1 i_ • straightening the teeth. These outlines are 



teeth give the breath an ObjeC- the profile of a boy before and after he had 

 , • 11 1 1,1 .1 received dental treatment. 



tionable odor and the mouth an 



unsightly appearance. Physicians often insist that patients have 



the teeth examined and treated before they will treat them for 



other ailments. The disorder sometimes disappears when the 



teeth are put in good condition. Defective teeth do not have as 



great grinding power as have sound teeth, and, therefore, hinder 



digestion. 



Relation of diets to teeth. More important than repairing 

 unsound teeth is the building of sound teeth. Foods containing 

 calcium should be eaten so that the bone cells can deposit suffi- 

 cient calcium to build strong teeth. Every diet should include 

 some foods containing vitamin D, so that the body will be stimu- 

 lated to make the greatest possible use of the calcium. Foods 

 that demand chewing, such as breads made of whole cereals, toast, 

 apples, and celery, are also essentiai for the development of good 

 teeth. Hard foods cause the teeth to move slightly in their 

 sockets. This has a massaging effect upon the gums and tends to 

 promote circulation through the pulp cavity and the part of the 

 gum holding the teeth in the bony sockets. One of the reasons 

 why former generations had better teeth than many of the people 

 to-day, is because they ate coarser foods which supplied minerals 



