Los dolores de Don Porfirio / Don Porfirio´s woes

Incluso sin la historia médica de Don Porfi rio, sólo por escuchar unainteresante crónica del historiador Juan Manuel Villalpando, hoy en el centenario de su muerte, y ante la encontrada opinión de quienes sin saber mucho de historia lo juzgan como un tirano dictador y otros más enterados y ante el legado histórico y cultural lo llaman héroe liberal. Éste es un relato alineado y paralelo a lo que probablemente pasó en la boca y dientes de Don Porfirio cuando su encía desguarnecida ostentaba dolor en algunos dientes. Con las obras consultadas y las fuentesencontradas no sabemos bien qué fue lo más doloroso; tal vez el dolor de la derrota, o el dolor insoportable por una muela rota

Though a detailed medical history of Porfirio Díaz has yet to be un-covered, much can be learned from an interesting chronicle published by historian Juan Manuel Villalpando in what is the centenary of the death of this former Mexican president, one regarded as a tyrant dicta-tor by those with only a limited knowledge of history, while the more informed proclaim him to be a liberal hero, based on his historical and cultural legacy. This complementary and parallel account provides a picture of what is likely to have been going on in the mouth and teeth of the president as he endured the exposed gum and the toothache that affected several of Don Porfi rio’s teeth. Based on the works consulted and sources found, we cannot be certain which was the greater of Don Pofi rio’s woes: the pain of defeat or the unbearable agony of a broken tooth.

John G.C. Adams: father of Dental Public Health in Canada.

John Gennings Curtis Adams (1839-1922), Canada's first resident dental missionary, was the father of Dental Public Health in Canada. He established, personally funded and operated the first free dental hospital in North America for poor children and their mothers in Toronto from 1872, three years before the founding of The Hospital for Sick Children; he later became their first dentist of record. He was a visionary zealot for prevention of decay, dental education, and treatment over extraction. Dr. Adams understood that neither parents (rich or poor) nor physicians were aware of the extent of pathosis present in children's mouths. He petitioned individuals, lobbied politicians and unions and pressured dental organizations on the importance of twice-annual school inspections to demonstrate disease so that parents would seek care for their children. He wanted government-funded dental hospitals like his own to treat those who could not afford care. He realized his objectives and his reforms to prevent suffering, as Toronto school inspections began in 1911 and Toronto's first publicly-funded free dental clinic opened in 1913. He was Canada's first dental philanthropist and a visionary for preventive dentistry.

Visionaries or dreamers? The story of infant oral health.

PURPOSE: To review the early history of the promotion of oral health for infants and toddlers, the impact of the AAPD guideline on infant oral health care and ways to maximize health outcomes. METHODS: Review of the literature. RESULTS: Concepts on primary prevention and early intervention were reported as early as the 19th century. Progress to positively impact the oral health of children has been made. Nevertheless, the advice of early scholars and clinicians that oral care and prevention must begin early with the caregivers and the emergence of the infant's first tooth have not been fully embraced by the profession. CONCLUSIONS: A historical perspective on oral health care for infants and toddlers has been presented. There is a need to move away from the surgical approach of managing oral disease and embrace the concepts of primary care beginning perinatally while more broadly addressing social determinants of health.

Finn Brudevold: discovery of acidulated phosphate fluoride in caries prevention.

Finn Brudevold was a distinguished leader in dental research, recipient of many honors, and a Past President of IADR. This article traces his scientific career and focuses on his discovery and development of acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) for practical use in caries prevention. Brudevold noticed that the low pH of stannous fluoride was very effective in getting fluoride into enamel in vitro. He hypothesized that an acidulated preparation that included phosphate to minimize enamel dissolution by a common ion effect would permit faster exchange of hydroxyls with fluoride. The clinical efficacy of APF is compared with other methods of professionally applied topical fluoride agents.

Technology transfer: Kuwait--a quarter-century of progress.

The transfer of knowledge, skill, and technology from resource-rich countries to resource-constrained countries is a valuable tool in improving global health. During an important period in dental history, one individual made this type of transfer a reality. John W. Hein was director of the Forsyth Dental Center in Boston when he wrote a short article in 1986 defining technology transfer. For it to be successful, either within a first-world, developed country or in a third-world, developing country, he determined that certain proven procedures should be followed, maintained, and updated. This paper will outline the development of his strategy for technology transfer, as well as its successful application in Kuwait.

Howard Riley Raper: pionero de la radiología y la prevención / Howard Riley Raper: pioneer of radiology and prevention

Howard Riley Raper debe su fama a la técnica radiográfica que lo ha sobrevivido. Pero son menos conocidos sus esfuerzos para difundir un concepto muy en boga en la actualidad: la prevención.(AU)

Howard Riley Raper: pionero de la radiología y la prevención / Howard Riley Raper: pioneer of radiology and prevention

Howard Riley Raper debe su fama a la técnica radiográfica que lo ha sobrevivido. Pero son menos conocidos sus esfuerzos para difundir un concepto muy en boga en la actualidad: la prevención.

A Victorian physician ahead of his time. The story of fluorine advocate Sir James Crichton-Browne.

Sir James Crichton-Browne, one of England's most renowned psychiatrists, whose career spanned two centuries, had very strong feelings about the need to secure proper dental care for all the children of his country. He translated these feelings into action when he advocated that fluorine be added to the diets of pregnant women and children. And this was almost a half-century before definitive research showed the value of fluorine as a preventive of caries.

Air Force Dental Service commemorates golden anniversary, 1949 to 1999.

For 50 years, evolving from aviation dentistry to aerospace dentistry, the U.S. Air Force Dental Service has successfully met the challenge of supporting the mission of the Air Force as well as made significant contributions to the profession of dentistry. This commemorative article not only highlights its achievements but serves as an historical tribute to the Dental Service's past of honoring the mission of the Air Force.