Tomorrow is National Dentist Appreciation Day, the day to thank and appreciative dentists who help keep our teeth healthy and in good shape.
Dentistry is one of the oldest medical professions, however in the 20th century, people became more aware of the importance of having good dental health. Good dental health prevents disease, decay, cavities, and infection. The articles and images below spread awareness of this and the consequences of neglecting dental hygiene.
According to this article, featured in September 19, 1910 Newark Evening Star and Newark Advertiser, out of approximately 85,000 school children in Newark, 75,000 have diseased teeth. Many children lose valuable teeth as a result of lack of awareness and preventative measures. This article stresses that having bad teeth is as bad as or worse than tuberculosis, however dentists have made little headway in educating the public.
Many organizations banded together to create a dental clinic to provide free services where people had the opportunity to receive treatment from the best dentists in the city. Although the equipment was minimal, it was a start in the right direction. The article is featured in September 19, 1910 Newark Evening Star and Newark Advertiser.
This article featured in September 20, 1910 Newark Evening Star and Newark Advertiser, describes the efforts made by the Newark Dental Association and Board of Education to combat diseased children in school systems. One measure was to examine children’s teeth and provide care instructions.
Many young children and babies suck their thumbs. However, this habit has long term consequences. The image featured in September 21, 1910 Newark Evening Star and Newark Advertiser, shows before and after photos of girls receiving treatment for a protruded upper jaw as a result of thumb sucking.
This article, featured in October 21, 1913 Newark Evening Star and Newark Advertiser, mentions that in conjunction with dental clinics, the Dental Association hopes to mandate for school children to bring toothbrushes to school.
This article, featured in March 25, 1915 Perth Amboy Evening News, mentions dentists’ remarkable service to assist wounded soldiers by providing dental surgeries and other assistance. In one example, a dentist substituted part of a soldier’s rib bone for a jawbone as a result of combat.
Many people fear going to the dentist for a variety of reasons. However, as mentioned in this article featured in December 03, 1921 Perth Amboy Evening News, it is important to go to the dentist and take the preventative care to avoid more appointments than necessary. This article mentions that, unlike the past, dentists have developed more painless methods of treating teeth. This article was published one hundred years ago and we have come a long way since then!
Want to know the secrets to beautiful teeth? Well actress Ethel Terry can tell you! This article, featured in July 25, 1922 Perth Amboy Evening News, mentions the importance of brushing, flossing, and having a diet that supports healthy teeth. In addition, it is important to receive dental checkups. In terms of preventative measures, nothing has changed much. Although I must admit I do not floss as often as I should, whoops!
(Contributed by Kristi Chanda)