Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1856-03-13
Communicated.

Communicated.
OF the NEGLECT q the Teeth and
Its consequences.
The sound and perfect condition of the
teeth is so intimately connected with our
daily comforts and our social enjoyments,
IS to render it surprising that any should
should neglect the necessary means Of
preserving them from decay and loss. And
yet nothing is more common than their me-
elect even among persons who, in other
matters, are careful Of all that concerns
their interest and happiness.
This neglect often arises from a want
of sufficient information on the subject and
from an early habit Of inattention. Pa.
rents are not generally careful to impress
upon children the necessity, and the means
of preserving their teeth; and the conse-
quences which follow them, are not thought
Of until they are severly felt, and it be-
comes too late to remedy them. The slow
and insidious approaches Of disease are
not likely to create much attention, and
while they continue to perform their Office
without giving trouble, they are not exam
ined with much scrutiny. This neglect,
however, is generally followed by a severe
penalty. Few persons arrive at the age
Of maturity without having suffered the
tortures of tooth-ache, and the horrors of
extraction and in many the ravages ofdis-
ease and decay, have entirely destroyed the
usefulness, and beauty of the teeth, and
rendered them source only Of misery and
modification. --....
| The evil Of decay and decaying teeth
are too obvious to need, and too disagrea-
able to invite detail. Pains and aches in
Vulnerable, deformity offeature, dyspepsia,
1 arrangement of the constitution, and de.
privation oflif common enjoyments, are
4 first in the Catalogue, examples of which
are so common, that all who can learn
wisdom from others misfortune, have suf.
sufficient opportunity.
Having devoted my attention for the last
five years to this department, with the bes,
opportunities for information and practice,
and wishing to extend my knowledge Of
'Ijudicious treatment beyond the limits Of
my personal attention and practice,
have in this treatise condensed in as few
words as possible, all the information upon
the subject, which can be Of general util.
lity; the observance Of which will enable
those who have good teeth to preserve
them, and those who have bad ones to
remedy them. t...s 7...a.e
i OF the Value Of the Teeth.
Il The value Of the teeth is seldom known
until it is dearly taught by their loss.
People part with them, one after another
with as much indifference, rs if they were
made only to be extracted. 1t should be
, known by every ono that a good set o
teeth is : moro valuable possession than
any thing which money can buy. Every
tooth lost is an irreparable loss. 1t les.
sens the 6rmness and durability Of those
which remain, while at the same it impose.
upon them additional labor. The loss ol
lone tooth is soon followed by that Of an.
other, and . person who has one extracted
may generally calculate being compelled
! to similar operation, every year or two
, unless effectual measures are taken "a
prevent the progress Of decay. Let the
disadvantages Of decaying teeth be consid-
Iered. The pain Of tooth ache and extrac.
{ ton is not small, but it is the evils suffer.
ed. If the tooth be imperfect, the masti'
cation Of the food is necessarily imperfect
besides being more tedious, consequently
1.-THE enjeyments Of eating Is lessened. il
proportion a. the tooth become less i'm.
perfect, until it becomes inconvenient and
painful. As tho food is less perfectly mas
. ticated, the stomach suffers, the health be-
comes impaired, and all the enjoyments o
. life are lessened. .-..,.,. :. -
!, As the teeth fall out the cheeks and lip.
fall in, the gums recede. the jaws fall to
gether, the visage becomes contracted ant
wYinkled, and all the marks Of old age in
: wade the prime Of life. Persons at sixty
with good teeth, may count themselve.
, younger Than those al forty without them
, A good set Of teeth are of more real value
than the inheritance Of a princely fortune
cAsADAvANr, Dental Surgeon, Paqueuine.
~~~-Do '.5l-e
+ r The richest man in Congress il
] the lion. VIM. Aiken Of South Carolina
!; His property is estimated at t,co mllion