The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-08-22
91.llstGLLanGONs.
The Teeth.

Natural teeth, clean, sound and per-
feet, arc essential to the cOmeliuess of
any human face. Defective teeth mar
tho hundsomest features, and cause US
to turn away our gaze with a kind of
disgust, from q cOuntenanoe otherwise
faultlossly beautiful Sound teeth not
only add to the comfort aud personal
appearance, but contribute largely to
the health of all; hence, special and
scrupulOus attention should be paid to
them daily, from early childhood, from
the time when the frst permanent tooth
makes its appearance, about tho sixth
year.
Whenever it is practicable, every
tooth in q child's head should bo mi
nutely examined by a careful, oonscicn-
tious and skillful dentist every few
months; and the great Importance Of
special attention to their cleanliness,
the avoidance Of cold and hot drinks
of the use of any "picks" harder than
wood or quills, and Of all dentifrices
prepared by unknown hands, should
be impressed upon the minds Of the
young with great assiduity.
Harm has been done by propagating
the notion that sugar is injurious to the
teeth, by divorting attention from real
causes of destruction or decay. The
eating of any amount Of pure sugar
cannot iujuro the teeth directly, because
it has no residue; it is wholly dissolved
and passes into the stomach.
But let it bo remembered that the
practice of eating sugars or candies, or
any other swcetmoats largely, will iucv-
itably cause disorder Of the stomach,
and generate gases there, which will
will speedily undermine the health Of
the teeth,
BY insisting too much on tho fact
that sugars and candies destroy the
tooth, an impression will grow that if
these are mainly avoided, the person so
doing will have good teeth, and this
leads the mind away from the necessity
of keeping the mouth clean and the
stomach healthrul. If these things are
we'll done, and the teeth are kept plug
god in a finished style, teeth naturally
or hereditarily "poor" may be kept in
a good state Of preservation for many
years.
All forms of dyspepsia have a direct
tendency to destroy the teeth. What
ever causes ocidity of the stomach, is
ruinous to the teeth. A table spoonful
Of the purest syrup Of loaf-sugar, taken
three times q day before meals, will de-
stroy the tone of the healthies stomach
in a very short time. And when it is
remembered how many patent medicines
are made up in the form of syrups and
sweet lozenges, and how common the
use of them has become, it need not be
wondered ut that every second or third
person met on the street knows the
meaning Of "sour stomach" or dyspep-
sia. 1t has been shown that if a sound
tooth be stepped in syrup for some days
it BECOMES soft, pulpy mass. That
does not prove that syrup is injurious
to tho teeth, because it was a dead TOOTH
and further, such a sleeping Of live
tooth is impossible. The gastric juice
a. ;.ocuOus 10 living stomach, but al
30 very m0ment Of death, that same
Gastric Juice begins 30 eat up the stom'
Sch So It is inconcIusige to reason
from tho living to the dead, Or p'ee ger
sa.
tits urged by many that ealomel is d
most deadly agent TO the teeth, aud yet
if sound tooth is soaked for weeks to-
gether in a solution Of oalOmel, no ap
parent effect whatever is produced on it
So far from sugars and pure candies
injuring the teeth or the health, they
would If used wisely and in moderation
as sole desserts, be actual prevontives OF
both; especially If alternatod, as dos
sorts, with fruits and berries in thei
natural, raw, ripe, fresh, perfect state
by banishing from our tables tho Peati
ferrous pie the loadon pudding, an'
pastries and cakes Of ovory name, which
as desserts, always tempt to excess
which lay tho foundation for diseose
which torture for a life timo or brinl
speedily to tho grave. p
Let tho spirit of this article bo dis
tinotly understood Pure sugars an,
candies do not injuro tho tooth, ozoop
Indirectly, by their injudioious gso il
exciting acidity Of stomach or dys
pop8ia, as will any other kind of food