2004-4-12
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VOICE ONE:
This is Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Bob Doughty with
Science in the News, a VOA Special English program about recent
developments in science. Today, we tell about diseases of the teeth
and gums, and ways to prevent and treat them.
VOICE ONE:
People have been troubled by tooth and gum problems for thousands
of years. The earliest record of dental treatment comes from ancient
Egypt. Books say the Egyptians treated gum swelling by using a
substance made of spices and onions. The earliest known person to
treat tooth problems was also from Egypt. He lived about
five-thousand years ago. He was known as a "doctor of the tooth."
Experts say Chinese people living almost five-thousand years ago
treated tooth pain by acupuncture -- placing small sharp needles in
different parts of the body. About one-thousand-three-hundred years
ago, the Chinese filled holes in the teeth with a mixture of the
metals mercury, silver and tin. That was almost one-thousand years
before a similar substance was first used in western countries. Some
ancient people like the Maya did not treat dental disease. But they
made their teeth pretty by placing pieces of stone and metal on
them.
VOICE TWO:
The ancient Romans were careful about keeping their teeth clean.
More than two-thousand years ago, the Romans treated toothaches,
filled holes in teeth, and made false teeth to replace those that
had been lost.
From the fifth to the fifteenth centuries, Europeans with tooth
problems went to people called barber-surgeons. These people
performed many services, including cutting hair, pulling teeth and
treating medical conditions. Dental treatment improved during the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries as doctors increased their
knowledge about teeth.
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VOICE ONE:
Modern dentistry began in the Seventeen-Hundreds in France. That
was when Pierre Fauchard published his book called "The Surgeon
Dentist." It was the first book about dental science. The book
provided information about dental problems for other dentists to
use. And it described ways to keep teeth healthy. Pierre Fauchard is
considered the father of modern dentistry. His work was important in
helping establish dentistry as a separate profession.
Organized dentistry began in Eighteen-Forty. That is when the
world's first dental school opened in the American city of
Baltimore, Maryland. Four years later, a dentist first used drugs to
ease the pain during dental work. Two years after that, another
dentist publicly demonstrated the use of the gas, ether, as a way to
reduce pain.
And in Eighteen-Fifty-Eight, another American dentist invented a
dental drill that was powered by stepping on a device. This machine
made it possible for dentists to use both hands when working in a
patient's mouth.
VOICE TWO:
In Eighteen-Ninety, an American scientist showed that bacteria in
the mouth act on sugars that remain on the teeth after eating. This
action creates acid that damages the tooth. The damage appears as a
hole in the tooth. It is called a cavity. The part of the tooth that
has been destroyed by the acid is inside the cavity. It is known as
tooth decay.
Tooth decay is common in the United States and around the world.
Dental professionals say the acid remaining in the mouth must be
removed before it destroys the outer covering of the teeth. Dentists
say the best thing people can do for their teeth is to keep them
clean. After eating, people should use a toothbrush or other device
to clean the teeth. Then they should use a thin string or dental
floss to remove particles of food between the teeth. Visiting a
dentist every six months can help keep the teeth healthy and prevent
cavities.
VOICE ONE:
Experts say the greatest improvement in dental health during the
twentieth century began in the United States in the early
Nineteen-Hundreds. Dentists in the small western town of Colorado
Springs, Colorado found that children there had low rates of tooth
decay. They discovered that the town's water supply contained
fluoride, an element found in rocks and minerals. Public health
researchers thought that adding fluoride to water in other American
cities could reduce the rates of tooth decay.
In Nineteen-Forty-Five, a test program began in the middle
western state of Michigan. Ten years later, results showed a fifty
to seventy percent reduction in cavities in the children who drank
water containing fluoride. Since then, many studies have confirmed
the value of fluoride. Today, most of the American water supply
contains fluoride. And international health organizations, including
the World Health Organization, support water fluoridation programs.
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VOICE TWO:
Decay is not the only disease that can cause tooth loss. Another
serious disease affects the gums, the tissue that surrounds the
teeth. It is also caused by bacteria. If the bacteria are not
removed every day, they form a substance that stays on the teeth.
This substance is known as plaque.
At first, the gums appear to be swollen, and may bleed when the
teeth are brushed. This can lead to serious infection of the tissue
around the teeth. The infection may damage the bone that supports
the teeth and cause tooth loss and other health problems. Studies
have found that people with severe gum disease have an increased
risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
Gum disease can be treated by a special dentist called a
periodontist. Periodontists are trained to repair the gum areas that
have been damaged. This can be painful and costly.
Dental health experts say the best thing to do is to stop gum
disease before it starts. The way to do this is to clean the teeth
every day. People also should use dental floss to remove plaque from
between the teeth. Most experts also agree that another way to
prevent tooth and gum problems is to eat foods high in calcium and
vitamins and low in sugar.
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VOICE ONE:
Scientists continue to develop better dental treatments and
equipment. Improved technology may change the way people receive
dental treatment in the future. For example, dentists are now using
laser light to treat diseased gums and teeth. Dentists use computer
technology to help them repair damaged teeth. Researchers have
developed improved methods to repair bone that supports the teeth.
And genetic research is expected to develop tests that will show the
presence of disease-causing bacteria in the mouth.
Such increased knowledge about dental diseases and ways to
prevent them has improved the health of many people. Yet problems
remain in some areas. In industrial countries, minorities and other
groups have a high level of untreated dental disease. In developing
countries, many areas do not have even emergency care services. The
World Health Organization says people in countries in Africa have
the most tooth and gum problems.
VOICE TWO:
World Health organization experts say the dental health situation
is different for almost every country in the world. As a result, it
has developed oral health programs separately for each area.
The W-H-O oral health program is mainly for people living in poor
areas. It provides them with information about mouth diseases and
health care. It also studies preventive programs using fluoride in
water, salt, milk and toothpaste. And it explores ways to include
dental health in national health care systems.
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VOICE ONE:
Many governments and other organizations provide help so people
can get needed dental health services. But dental health
professionals say people should take good care of their teeth and
gums. They say people should keep their teeth as clean as possible.
They should eat foods high in calcium and fiber. These include milk
products, whole grain breads and cereals, vegetables, fruits, beans
and nuts. Recent studies have shown that eating nuts can help slow
the production of plaque on the teeth. Experts say these activities
will help everyone improve their dental health throughout their
lives.
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VOICE TWO:
This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Nancy Steinbach.
It was produced by George Grow. This is Bob Doughty.
VOICE ONE:
And this is Steve Ember. Join us again next week for more news
about science in Special English on the Voice of America.