The Union County Journal

Proper Tooth Care Procedure Told By Health Director

By DR. ROBERT A. VOGEL Health Commissioner

Tooth cavities can be reduced 50 to 60 percent by brushing the teeth immediately after eating. That was the finding of Dr. Leonard S. Fosdick, Northwestern university chemist, who reported on a two-year study of 946 students at six colleges in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

During the test period, 423 students followed their regular routine-usually brushing their teeth each morning and again at night. The other 523 students brushed their teeth with a plain toothpaste or rinsed their mouths thoroughly with water as soon as they had eaten.

At the end of the first year, the students who brushed their teeth right after eating developed far less cavities in their teeth than the first group. At the end of the second year, about the same results were observed.

The results, Dr. Fosdick pointed out, supported the theory that dental decay begins when acid forms in the mouth after eating. By cleaning the teeth right after eating, this acid can be prevented from forming and the teeth spared from acid attack.

However, no amount of brushing will take the place of regular visits to your dentist. If a cavity has formed, your dentist may still be able to stop the decay by treating and filling the tooth.

So brush your teeth after every meal and see your dentist twice each year.