The Prevention of Dental Caries

Abstract

In former contributions on the etiology of dental caries and the means of controlling or preventing the disease 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 the hypothesis has been advanced that dental caries is a distinctly infective disease and that an aciduric microorganism corresponding to the type characteristics of the B. acidophilus is the specific etiologic agent. No other factor, thus far ascertained, bears such a constant and intimate relationship to dental caries or harmonizes so fully with the known facts concerning the disease.

For the purpose of studying the effects of certain diets and therapeutic procedures on the activity of B. acidophilus in the mouth and the progress of dental caries, a rather comprehensive experiment was conducted during the past year on 3 large groups of children in public schools and orphanages. In 2 orphanages, groups of children were put on a well fortified diet in which sugar was eliminated except as it was used in cooking to make foods palatable. The diet was a varied ration fortified by one quart of milk, green vegetables and fruit for each child daily. These children had no sugar on cereals, in beverages, very little sweetened preserves and pastry, and little or no candy. In addition to the dietary control, Hexylresorcinol (S. T. 37) was used daily as a mouth wash, diluted with 3 parts of water.

In one group of 159 children there were 107, or 66%, in whom there was a marked decrease of B. acidophilus in the mouth, and not a single vestige of active caries appeared during the year. Caries was active in only 14 children, or 9%, and in them the disease was limited to but 1 to 3 small cavities per child.