The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-08-22
For the Opelousas Journal.]
REMARKS ON THE LOSS OF THE HUMAN
TEETH, AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
BY DIR. A. L. PLOUGH, DENTIST.

MR. EDITOR, THE loss of the teeth, ply
steal or otherwise considered, is a serious
matter; but in young people, the loss ofthe
teeth is still more serious and regrettul thar
in adults, because while the body is forming
and developing itself it should retain all ITS
vigor to facilitate mastlcatlon. The teeth
as a whole supply the dcsideratum OF the
masticatory powers of man, and by that
power and process, mastication is made
complete. Hence, if the teeth are corrupt,
ed, decaycd, and wanting at an early PERIOD
of mans life it is then that masticatlon be-
comes I'M aired, as al solid substances taken
into the month have to be we'll divided be
fore they are taken into the stomach so a>
to insure a healthy digestion.
But if all the teeth or a portion OF them
are lost at an early period Of man'Sllt'. IN
the first place it produces premature Ola
age, as the features soon begin to change
for the worse; he cannot clearly articnlate;
the t. nrnc begins to flag in the mouth the
voice becomes thick and i%ndistinct, ana IN
the second place, he cannot prepare the
clements proper for the reception OF the
stomach, but is compelled to move them
through the mouth, finally has to swa'lo"
them in parts not at all prepared tor the
natural process of nature. That process IS
called digestion.
In the third place, we would here notice
q remarkable fact, that is, that the sallVa as
a fluid assists much the process OF mastlca-
ton, and this is one Of the wise provisions
Of nature, that the greater quantity OF TEEN
in the mouth, the greater Will be the no"
of the saliva, it is also the saliva that assists
and mitch facilitates mastication, and OF
course helps the operation Of taking the
food into the stomach, so that without the
assistance of this fluid (the saliva mastlca-
ton would be necessarily very imperfect.
Now, if this all-important operation OF
mastication is not properly performed by
sound teeth and healthy mouth if the pro-
cess of digestion is thereby interrupted and
impaired for the want of sound and healthy
teeth, there must then inevitably take place
a discord and arrangement in natures law,
as nothing will or can be digested unless it
is properly prepared by the assistance OF
the teeth, and the salivary glands.
Who can say that they have not expert
enced the lingering pain and misery of In
digestion? Who can say they have not
suffered the pangS and ills Of Dyspepsia
land all other ills and miseries of a derangcd
y stomach nine cases out of ten Will certainly
happen where the above a~f1liction occurs,
and will always to a certainty occur when
the teeth ar corrupted, decayed and want
ing. Thus we see how far the loss of oul
teeth affects the general health: and the
animal economy well considered, is certain
ly we'll worthy of our attention, while The
harmonious and divine arrangements OF {
fine and sound set of teeth in human liit
ought to be considered one Of the creates
blessings in life. Therefore the decay 0
the teeth in young persons is especially tt
what we would call the attention of the
public to the present matter.
The bad condition Of those organs 9TH
teeth so essential then to eur happiness ant
health, has become so universal, that it |
, rare that we find an individual arrive a
: sixteen or seventeen years of age WlthOu
having suffered from the influence of BAT
, teeth. The suffering disease, ard ever
death, which has been canse3 by carloU
teeth and Il filthy, corrupted mouth, shoul'
lead every one to avoid such consequences
! The celebrated DR.. Rush has often spoke1
in his lectures and writings on the physica
disorganizatio1 and of the many causes c
- ulSSdSCu CtIlSlllullOI HOitI NIoCtSSu oiiu w
: cayed teeth, has advised persons to pa
great attention to the preservation and clear
illness of their teeth, as he said, that a cor
taminated breath occasioned by foul an
l decayed teeth, is the cause of a bad breatl
: gives rise to foul and unwholesome secrs
tons, and by its poisonous properties cause
the arrangement of the whole animal ecor
e omy.
v Any one that will carefully examine tn
f Physiology and Pathology of the huma
. teeth, will fpd that there is a close col
~nection between these organs of masticatio
and the general constitution of man viii
the teeth then partake of the body, and ha,
their influence in health and disease,
would most earnestly recommend all pc
e sons, and the young in particular, to guar
a their teeth from the rayages of decay, by
/. early preservation.