Science

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This program discusses the techniques dentists can use to detect oral cancer. The program begins with an examination of a patient who has had oral cancer and emphasizes the importance of early detection to prevent metastases. The program stresses that cancer in different oral sites presents with different problems. The presentation includes the symptoms, incidence and distribution of cancer of the lower lip, tongue and floor of the mouth. The program presents a routine examination with emphasis on the symptoms representative of cancer.

This film tells the story of an average American family, in particular Danny, the young son in the family, and their approach to dental care. Attitudes toward dentistry and dental habits good and bad are explored, with an emphasis on the consequences of ignoring the importance of oral health. Out of their experiences come the lessons that lead to good dental health: the need for preventive dentistry and early dental care, the need for regular checkups and early treatment of decayed teeth, and the desirability of proper nutrition and careful mouth hygiene. Narrated by Lowell Thomas.

Through the use of a compact series of explanatory examples, this film points out the value of modern dental care with emphasis on the use of fluorides, focusing especially on school-age children and how dental care and education can be delivered in that environment The film describes how a rural community organizes a topical fluoride program and how an urban community institutes fluoridation of the public water supply. Learn more about this film and search its transcript at NLM Digital Collections: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9605135.