No, the 1997 2.0 sohc. Ford escort is Not a interference engine. It is a Freewheeling type. Interference refers to the non-ability of the engine to freewheel out of valve time. Interference engines DO cause damage if the timing belt breaks.
As a pediatrician this is a common concern I hear from parents of newborns. Sticking your tongue out is better known as tongue protrusion. It is when the tongue sticks out beyond the lip border for all to see. Since tongue protrusion is one of the Characteristics of Down syndrome, new parents often ask,
A Dr. Jonathan B. Levine, DMD, Dentist, answered. A normal tongue is pink, textured, and slightly moist. When you stick out your tongue, if you see a white coating -- that is dead bacteria that create an oxygen free zone underneath where the bad breath causing bacteria can thrive. Under this white coating, within the deep papillae of the tongue, the volatile sulfa compounds, which create the offensive odor, are produced.