The dangers of dental caries and how to prevent them are emphasized in this film. A class of grade-school children learn about the teeth. Written on the board are questions and answers: Why you need teeth--to cut and grind food--a model set of teeth is used to demonstrate chewing; to give form to the face--this is shown on models of heads and teeth of people with malocclusions; to aid personal appearance--shown in footage of a boy before and after repair of his teeth. The causes of caries in teeth are presented using a large model tooth. Immediate repair is advocated.

This reel is comprised of 16 short films on dental health, some or all of them to be used as television spot announcements. Some are labeled as public service announcements from the American Dental Association. The films are, briefly: 1. A little girl demonstrates good brushing technique, proper care of the teeth after meals as a narrator admonishes children to care for their teeth. 2. A teenage boy is shown eating nutritious foods and candy as a narrator explains that good foods are necessary for good dental health and that sugar causes tooth decay. 3.

As colorful stylized puppets, three small boys find the lost civilization of No-De-Kay deep in the jungle after some frightening encounters. They discover that the secret of No-De-Kay is proper toothbrushing by deciphering the hieroglyphic-like inscriptions on the pedestal of the jeweled toothbrush. The boys demonstrate the deciphered instructions for the proper and effective use of the toothbrush. They are welcomed as heroes when they return home with their discovery.

Good dental health is stressed in the story of two grade-school children who must prepare a report on oral hygiene. They go to visit a children's dentist. The dentist is busy cleaning a girl's teeth, then showing her her yearly mouth X-rays. The female dental assistant shows the two students a book about teeth containing pictures of second teeth forming behind the deciduous teeth. The assistant takes the children to see an orthodontist where they are shown drawings and casts of teeth from birth to teenage.

This film shows the importance of regular visits to the dentist using two hand puppets, "Dottie," a mischievous little girl, and the "dentist." This film is effective in interesting youngsters of pre-school age and in primary school grades about the fundamentals of oral hygiene. In addition, parents can pick up pointers on teaching youngsters why personal care is so important to dental health. Proper diet is one of the subjects mentioned.

This film attempts to persuade people who are opposed to the fluoridation of drinking water that they are mistaken in thinking that fluoride, in minute quantities, is toxic, may cause cancer or heart or kidney disease, leads to bone fractures, or is unconstitutional. The film emphasizes the low cost of fluoridation and the very great benefits it bestows in the marked reduction of dental caries. A town meeting is shown in which angry, upset people raise their objections to fluoridation. To the man who says that fluoridation is against the laws of nature, that it is a poison, Dr.

Dr. Benjamin Spock, noted pediatrician, discusses community water fluoridation--its safety, low cost, and effectiveness in reducing dental caries. Advice to parents and facts about community water fluoridation are presented in Dr. Spock's own warm, inimitable manner.

Good dental health is stressed in the story of two grade-school children who must prepare a report on oral hygiene. They go to visit a children's dentist. The dentist is busy cleaning a girl's teeth, then showing her her yearly mouth X-rays. The female dental assistant shows the two students a book about teeth containing pictures of second teeth forming behind the deciduous teeth. The assistant takes the children to see an orthodontist where they are shown drawings and casts of teeth from birth to teenage.

Good dental care for children is presented in this film. Teeth are made from the food we eat. A smiling girl sits at a table eating a meal. A diagram shows the parts of a tooth as a pointer indicates the parts. The right foods are necessary for good teeth. Vigorous chewing helps to make strong teeth. Stain and deposits lead to decay. A mouthful of decayed teeth is shown. The dental hygienist helps to keep the mouth healthy. A woman dental hygienist is shown in a dental clinic greeting a boy patient. The child gets into the dentist's chair and has a towel put over his chest.

Jim Barnes, a high school student and flying enthusiast, proves unable to master his flying instructions. Finally, after a particularly bad landing, his instructor advises him that it is useless to continue training. Jim, heartbroken, tells his instructor that his boyhood dream was aviation. The kindly instructor advises him to have a thorough physical examination to determine the possible source of his trouble. Jim visits his physician, who discovers that his visual acuity is below par and advises a dental examination.

This film tells the story of how one community brought the benefits of fluoridated water to its children, how the dentists, the health officers, the mayor, the waterworks engineer, and citizens got together and fought for fluoridation before it was the widely recognized public health measure it is today. Based in part on the story of how the people of Newark, Delaware added fluoride to their water supply, the film vividly portrays the down-to-earth situations that exist in every community, the typical conflicts, the doubts about fluoridation, and the evidence for it.

This film stresses the importance of routine oral examination to detect infections or early diagnosis of oral cancer. Dr. Robert Johnson demonstrates a routine oral exam while explaining the procedure. The film also shows oral cancers in their early stages of development. The film concludes with an appeal by the Chief of the U.S. Public Health Service's Cancer Control Program, Dr. William L. Ross. He urges dentists to examine and test for oral cancer, arguing that the patient's overall health, not just their teeth, is the dental practioner's responsibility.