Excerpt from The Prevention of Dental Caries

Dental Caries is one of the most easily and certainly preventable of diseases, and there would seem now to be no valid excuse for the bringing up of children with decayed teeth, together with all the pathological results which they give rise to. Unfortunately, so far it is only those who have become interested in the subject, and who are themselves possessed of the required knowledge to come to correct conclusions on the subject, who know the simple secrets of pre vention. That is to say, a goodly proportion of the dental profession and here and there a few medical men who have paid attention to the long and laborious investigations which have led to the solution of this important problem. It is with the idea of letting what is already known to a few become more widely known, among medical men more especially, that I venture to publish this pamphlet. Those who find the subject of interest or importance would do well to make their knowledge more secure, by acquainting themselves not only with the outlines of the means of preventing the disease as presented in these pages, but also with at least a general knowledge of the pathology and the etiology of the disease, because for some considerable time, incredulity, ignorance, prejudice, vested interests and the commercial spirit are likely to continue to make a stubborn resistance to the diffusion of the truth.

It would be a great service to mankind if a goodly number of medical men would become thoroughly acquainted with the subject so as to rid the land of ideas which are now definitely known to be wrong, and indeed often actually markedly instrumental in causing the disease. Medical men and physiologists engaged in teaching medical students should certainly make sure that it is not their precepts which are largely responsible for the widespread prevalence of the disease. Those who would like to supplement their knowledge may be recommended to consult the more recent standard text-books, J. F. Colyer's Dental Surgery and Pathology, or the larger System of Dental Surgery, edited by Mr. Norman Bennett, about to be published by the Oxford Medical Press. Therein they will find the groundwork of the subject sufficiently thoroughly treated to let them master all important points. The references at the end of this pamphlet will also help anyone with regard to any special point on which he may desire to have further information.

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