[Music]
[Teeth are to keep!]
[Produced for the Dental Health Division, Department of National Health and Welfare
by the National Film Board of Canada]
[Script... P. K. Page & Jim MacKay, Animation... Jim MacKay, Ray Roy, S. D. Rigolo, Music...
Eldon Rathburn, Camera... Lyle Enright]
[Narrator:] One quiet summer afternoon the whole town seemed to be asleep.
[Music]
But the strangest noises are coming from the Smiths' house. Is there something the matter
with Junior?
[Music]
Junior has cut his first tooth. His parents are proud. Roger thinks teeth are for chewing
with, but you can't chew celery with only one tooth.
One tooth is like a pair of scissors with only one blade, it won't cut.
The front teeth in the top jaw and front teeth in the bottom jaw can cut the food into little
pieces like a pair of scissors.
[Scissors sound]
Back teeth are like nutcrackers, they crush the food.
[Cracking sound]
Like a mortar and pestle, they grind it. But we must help our teeth to do their job of cutting, crushing, and grinding.
Teeth need care to keep them healthy and well just as the body does.
[Bells ringing]
Teeth must be healthy to chew properly. Unhealthy teeth are bad for the whole system.
[Music]
Ginger keeps his teeth healthy.
The Smiths help their teeth by eating raw carrots and celery and apples and salad. Junior
does his best on a biscuit.
Afterwards, Mr. Smith has some news. Tomorrow they will go on a picnic.
[Joyful music as the older son and the dog dance about together.]
Roger, in his excitement, almost forgets that after eating, tiny bits of food remain in
the mouth and cause tooth decay, and though you can't see it, the tooth rots day by day.
But if time were speeded up, you could watch the tooth decay.
[ Background noise like clock ticking very fast ]
And if the holes get really big, often the tooth must come out.
[Background noise, as if a tooth is being whisked out of the mouth.]
The other teeth try to fit in the empty space and when the teeth are in the wrong places
it's difficult to chew.
[Music]
But Roger knows he can help cut down decay by brushing away the small bits of food right
after eating. He can even brush his teeth while thinking of the picnic and so can the
rest of the family.
[Music and head images of people brushing their teeth.]
After they've eaten, right away they brush their teeth to help stop decay.
[Music]
After breakfast, lunch, and supper, it doesn't take long to keep your teeth clean. It leaves
plenty of time to get ready for the picnic and all the Smiths are busy.
All except Roger, and Roger is trying to help his teeth decay by eating candy, but Mrs. Smith
[swaps a sandwich?] instead, for sweets cause decay.
The picnic, the picnic thinks Roger as he finishes his sandwich and goes to bed. The
picnic, the picnic, the picnic, um, there's something else he should think about too.
Ginger is trying to help him remember. Picnic...sandwich...toothbrush. Roger remembers just in time to use his toothbrush
right after eating.
[ Music ]
Next morning it's beautiful weather for the picnic. The Smiths can hardly wait to start.
But they must make one stop on the way for the car to be checked for cars, like teeth, should always be checked before trouble begins.
Now the Smiths are really on their way to the country.
[Car drives past a sign that reads, "Ask your dentist about sodium fluoride."]
[ Music ]
And what a wonderful picnic it is.
[Music...child and dog cavort, then join others on a picnic blanket laden with food.]
There's milk, there are apples and oranges, there are brown bread sandwiches of tomatoes,
there are radishes, and brown bread sandwiches of meat.
For these are the foods, which added together, build strong healthy teeth.
And because it is a picnic and they didn't bring their toothbrushes, the Smiths rinse their mouths with water to
wash away the little bits of food and keep their teeth clean.
[Image of teeth and bubbles accompanied by scrubbing, bubbling sounds]
After lunch, the Smiths all do the things they like to do in the fresh air and sun. [Father is shown fishing]
[Music..little girl plays, mother is reading, baby is sleeping]
Roger likes exploring.
[ Music...Roger and the dog play in the woods]
Following Ginger, he meets a man sitting under a tree. He's a very nice man and he throws
sticks for Ginger to fetch.
And he picks a four-leaf clover and gives it to Roger for luck.
But just at that moment a storm comes up.
[Sound of thunder and ominous-looking sky.]
The Smiths pack their things and get ready to go. They all begin to shout for Roger.
Why doesn't he hurry, where can he be? Here he comes, running as fast as he can.
Next morning at breakfast, Roger is thinking about the man and the picnic, so he's not
very interested when his mother reminds him that this is the day he is going to the dentist.
Birthday once a year, dentist twice a year. He'll have his teeth checked in advance just
as they check the car at the garage.
He doesn't really want to go, he'd sooner play with Ginger.
[Doorbell to dentist's office ringing.]
But a big surprise is in store for him. He finds that the dentist is his very good friend
who gave him the four-leaf clover and there is hardly anything the matter with his teeth,
for Roger keeps them in good condition by following four good rules.
He helps to prevent decay by using his toothbrush right after eating. He eats the food that
builds strong teeth. It's as easy as two and two.
He avoids too much candy, especially between meals, because sweets can cause decay.
And to make sure his teeth are healthy and strong, he visits the dentist twice a year.
Four rules, like the four-leaf clover.
[The End, Produced by the National Film Board of Canada, MCMXLIX.]
[Teeth are to Keep, Dental Health Division and Information Services Division,
Department of National Health and Welfare Ottawa]