[Background music ]

[Student Flyer]

[Presented by American Dental Association]

[Through a grant from the Education Division of Weco Products Company]

[Produced and Distributed by Atlas Educational Film Co.]

[Narrator:] Never before has the youth of America been called upon to take part in so gigantic a task as the global war in which we are engaged.

Never before has your country so needed your services, not only in various branches of the armed forces, but as civilian war workers in many lines.

But to do your part, you must be physically fit, for the physical requirements are most exacting.

To help you meet these standards, the high school victory corps physical fitness program has been established. By actively cooperating in this program, not only will you be preparing yourself to serve your country most efficiently,

but at the same time you will be building a sound foundation for your own good health, happines,s and success in the post-war years to come. As an example of the importance of physical fitness, let's drop in at a flying field.

[Man:] Hey, fellas, take a look. Jim Barnes is going to try to shoot a landing.

[ Background music. Plane is seen flying above. It lands bumpily.]

[Man:] Wow. It's lucky for Jim the instructor took over.

[Background music and airfield sounds. A man emerges from the plane.]

[Several men stand near the plane as the instructor walks away. One gives a thumbs-down sign. The men are then are seen in a classroom.]

[Instructor:] Hey, fellas, I'd like to have a few words with Jim.

[Jim:] I guess I was pretty terrible today.

[Instructor:] Yes, you were. Sit down, Jim.

There's something I have to tell you that will be hard to take.

[Jim:] What's that?

[Instructor:] Buddy, there come times to all of us when we have to face hard facts, unpleasant facts, take it on the chin and grin. Sometimes bitter medicine, and that's what you're up against right now.

You're all washed up as far as ever being a flier is concerned, and you're just wasting your money taking lessons.

[Jim:] Am I really that bad? Yeah, It's awfully hard to take. You see, I guess I've always been sort of air-minded. The first toy I can remember having was a little airplane.

You see, I couldn't have been more than three or four then. How I loved it. Mom says I'd pass up all my new toys for the little plane. Wherever I went I'd carry it with me. When bedtime came, I wouldn't go to sleep unless I had it with me.

When I got bigger, I went into making model planes and flying them with the other fellows. I had a lot of fun. I learned a lot about how planes fly: balance, glide, turn, bank, all those things.

A few years later, I won a ride in a plane as first prize in a model plane contest. That ride settled it. I made up my mind right then and there that I was going to be a flier; that I'd never be happy until I was up in the air handling the controls all by myself.

But I knew I had a problem; the problem of getting mother's consent in my taking flying lessons.

She's the grandest mother in the world...done so much for me. You see, dad died when I was a baby, and she's supported the two of us ever since. But at last when she saw how set I was on it, she agreed to let me take lessons when I was 16; that was nearly a year away.

Gosh, that was a long year. Every day seemed an age. I just couldn't wait. You remember I made arrangements with you about a month ahead of my first lesson?

[Instructor:] Yes, I remember it very well.

[Jim:] And I started. Well, you know what happened.

[Instructor:] Yes, I've never had a student who was so eager or so anxious to learn to fly or who tried so hard. In fact, that's why I've been giving you lessons much longer than I should have.

I wanted to give you every chance. I thought maybe in time you'd get the knack of it, but it's just a waste of time and money.

[Jim:] What's the matter with me?

[Instructor:] I don't know. The trouble may be with your eyes. It might be a good idea to have another physical examination.

[Jim:] I'll do it. I'll see Dr. Adams tonight.

Well, what's the matter with me, doctor?

[Dr. Adams:] Your visual acuity is not up to par.

[Jim:] Can you do something for it?

[Dr. Adams:] Well, the first thing to do is to find the cause. That's why I've been examining you and asking so many questions. There must be some focal infection which has affected your eyes.

[Jim:] Focal infection?

[Dr. Adams:] Yes, a source of infection at some point in the body. You see, when a person has a focal infection, the bacteria or the poisons they produce may enter the bloodstream and be carried to all parts of the body.

There they often set up a secondary infection in such organs as the heart or the eyes, kidneys, or the joints. A common source of such infection is an abscessed tooth. So we'll check up on that first.

[Jim:] An abscessed tooth?

[Dr. Adams:] Yes, dental infection is one of the most common sources from which bacteria and the poisons they produce invade the human body. Dental health is essential to physical health.

[Jim:] My teeth are all right. I don't think that could be the trouble.

[Dr. Adams:] Well, let's make sure. You have your teeth examined by your family dentist and x-rays taken.

[Jim:] Okay, if you say so.

[Dentist:] You see this dark area around the end of this tooth?

[Jim:] Yeah, what is that, doctor?

[Dentist:] That indicates an abscess condition, a pocket of infection.

[Jim:] Hmm. An abscessed tooth. Why, I never had any trouble with my teeth; at least nothing to speak of.

[Dentist:] Sometimes abscesses form slowly and cause little pain. These are the most dangerous because they often go unnoticed for some time until serious trouble develops elsewhere in the body; then it may be too late. The damage may be done.

For example, I had a case sent to me the other day of a girl recently graduated from high school who was turned down by the company physician when she applied for a job.

He found she had endocarditis, which is inflammation of the lining membrane of the heart. Her x-ray showed a badly abscessed tooth, which her physician believes was the cause of the heart condition.

I removed the abscessed tooth, but the damage to the heart had already been done.

[Jim:] Well, has my tooth gone too far?

I mean, have my eyes got so bad it's too late to do anything?

[Dentist:] Well, that's something we can't say definitely at this time. Let's go into my office.

Of course, there's a procedure to remove the source of infection, and due to your youth there's a possibility that with proper medical attention the trouble will clear up, but we can't be sure.

You see, Jim, it's a whole lot easier to prevent these troubles than it is to correct them.

And it's a lot easier on your pocketbook to prevent dental trouble than it is to correct it.

[Jim:] You mean I could have prevented this?

[Dentist:] Sure.

[Jim:] Well, how?

[Dentist:] By giving your teeth the attention they used to get when your mother brought you here regularly. You and I used to have some good times together, didn't we? Do you remember?

[Jim:] Yeah, I sure do.

[Dentist:] But when you grew older you became careless.

Let's see here.

Say, I haven't seen you in a long, long while and now you turn up with an abscessed tooth and faulty vision.

[Jim:] Yeah, I probably haven't taken care of my teeth the way I should have.

[Dentist:] Oh, many young people are like that. You're so full of energy and vigor that you never give a thought to your health until something happens which could easily have been prevented.

[Jim:] What should a fellow do, doctor, to keep his teeth in shape?

[Dentist:] Well, the best method I know of is that recommended by our national organization, the American Dental Association.

From the experience of thousands of dentists all over the country a simple, effective, three-way plan has been developed. First proper --

[Jim:] -- Just a minute, doctor. Let me write that down.

[Dentist:] Sure. First, proper diet. Now by that we mean a well-balanced diet that will build and maintain a strong, healthy body.

A well-balanced nutritive diet includes milk, citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, fresh vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, spinach, peas and beans, meat, eggs, and whole grain bread.

And another thing to prevent tooth decay: cut down on carbohydrates such as refined sugar, candy, jelly, pastry, and other highly sweetened foods.

Second, proper brushing. Keep teeth and gums clean by brushing them properly after every meal. This removes food particles that adhere to the teeth and that may promote tooth decay.

Proper brushing also stimulates the circulation in the tissues around the teeth. It's highly important that the teeth be brushed properly. Just a moment and I'll show you what I mean.

To get the best results, use the best tooth brush obtainable. Preferably with a small head and two rows of bristle tops.

Brush the upper teeth with a downward motion. And brush the lower teeth with an upward movement. [Dentist demonstrates with toothbrush and mold of teeth.]

The top surfaces like this and the insides of the teeth in this manner.

Now the third point, regular dental attention. I'm sure I don't need to emphasize that to you.

[Jim:] You mean you could have found this abscess before it started?

[Dentist:] Well, not exactly that, Jim, but we could have corrected the dental defect while it was small and before the decay reached the pulp or nerve, and before it was possible for it to act as a source of infection for the rest of the body.

You know, to keep your mouth and teeth in good condition, they should be examined and cared for by a dentist at least once every 6 months.

By so doing, small defects will be discovered and corrected before they become serious. At the same time the teeth can be cleaned. Stains and blemishes removed as well as deposits of tartar, which are injurious to gums and teeth.

[Jim:] If I had done these things, I bet I'd be flying today. Gosh.

[Dentist:] Well, we'll see what can be done. Let's see, supposing you come in again at, say, Wednesday at 11? We'll give the teeth another treatment then.

[Narrator:] And so the dentist swings into action to remove the focal infection which was spreading poison through Jim's system.

While the physician cooperates in aiding nature restore Jim's sight to normal.

Then at last comes the critical test -- a medical examination by the Civil Aeronautics Authority Examiner.

[ Background music. Jim is seen in another doctor's office. The doctor is shown writing something down. ]

Then after Jim has completed eight hours of dual flight instructions, including recovery from spins and stalls, comes the day of all days in the life of a student flier.  That first solo flight.

[ Background music. Jim is shown preparing to take off, then flying, landing, and emerging from the plane.]

[A certificate is shown reading Presented by Bill Brown - Commerical Pilot -- to Jim Barnes in rememberance of his first solo flight]

A pair of wings is pinned on Jim's shirt and a plane is shown soaring through the air.

[The End]

[Approved by the Council on Dental Health of the American Dental Association, and passed by the Committee on Medical Motion Pictures of the American College of Surgeons.]