Portrait of the Enemy (1979)

[Applause] you gotta play good defense we're not gonna have a chance do they try to get the ball inside they don't like to take outside shots if you play tight defense you win the game if you don't they're gonna beat us i can tell you now in order to win the game it is absolutely essential to understand how the opposition plays the game and to predict the plan of attack only then can an effective defense be designed the subject of this short film is periodontal disease the enemy [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] what happened and why is it inevitable or is there a choice this is plaque the beginning plaque the primary cause of tooth decay plaque the major cause of tooth loss in children and of gum disease and tooth loss in adults plaque a soft sticky colorless film of bacteria that is constantly forming on teeth using the sugar in food plaque produces acids and other irritants that attack the tooth enamel the sticky plaque then forms and holds the acids on the teeth prolonging the attack and allowing decay to begin the irritants present in plaque inflame the gums making them tender and likely to bleed if plaque is not removed by careful daily cleaning it builds up the irritated gums pull away from the teeth leaving pockets that become filled with more bacteria and pus [Music] in the end healthy teeth become loose and may be lost [Music] portrait of an enemy plaque the beginnings of periodontal disease [Music] through defense help out sam take a way to try good help wayne that's it that's what you gotta do tomorrow you gotta help out when the guy's driving so all they're gonna do tomorrow is drive on if you don't help out we're gonna get beat help out we're gonna win to succeed against any opponent it is valuable to understand the cost of losing the facts are disturbing a third of our population between the ages of 15 and 19 have an early form of periodontal disease called gingivitis in the ages between 18 and 24 two-thirds suffer from gingivitis and 10 percent have destructive periodontal disease [Music] in maturity and middle age between the ages of 45 and 54 fully five-sixths of our population has gingivitis and over a third suffer from destructive periodontal disease in the later years the figures tell their own story ninety percent give evidence of periodontal disease [Music] why the answer is not complicated it is contained in a single word neglect poor and careless home dental care nutrition and diet [Music] a lack of regular professional care it all adds up to neglect in one form or another we have to know who the guys on the other team on brewster what they can do what they can't do in order to defeat them we want the ball to be passed over here right there we want it here victory begins with recognizing the opponent and his style of play the cause is known the symptoms can be recognized gums that bleed easily when brushing or flossing [Music] persistent bad breath soft swollen or tender gums pus between the gums and the teeth [Music] loose teeth gums that recede from the teeth [Music] and changes changes in the way the teeth come together in the spaces between the teeth in the way partial dentures fit individually and together they tell a simple story periodontal disease and yet it is not inevitable it is not a fact of life and of living that we are powerless to change [Music] [Applause] often the course of the game and the outcome is determined by the defense and by how soon we stop an opponent's attack this is often the difference between winning and losing the disease can be prevented not a single tooth need be lost to this enemy to periodontal disease if we begin at the beginning at home with ourselves as the guardians of our oral health daily flossing and brushing a little extra time and attention removing the plaque that forms every day removing it before it has a chance to harden in almost every mouth there are traps in which it is easy for plaque to gather and work worn out fillings and crowns partial dentures and crowded teeth broken edges of decayed teeth [Music] the more careful and conscientious the home care the less opportunity there will be for plaque to form break it up remove it disperse it every day this is the beginning of good oral health [Music] beyond good home care there is the matter of nutrition and diet a sound diet based on principles of good nutrition is necessary to maintain the health of the gums and bones that support the teeth sugar helps create plaque so the less sugar the less plaque the less chance of periodontal disease [Music] i'm going to do a clinical examination just to make sure that and finally regular periodic dental checkups a chance for the dentist and his professional staff not only to look carefully at the mouth and the teeth but also to chart and supervise a total program designed to achieve a lifetime of oral health so you feel the resistance then you take the force and curve it to the side of the tooth to a c-shape and gently up and down [Applause] [Music] [Applause] victory is often decided by how well we play during the entire game from start to finish born as the sticky colorless substance formed and allowed to grow through neglect the enemy grows powerful and dangerous the alternatives seem clear [Music] so [Music] now [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] foreign [Applause] [Music] you