The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-12-23
THE fEETH-fHEIR PRESERVATION,

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two kinds, viz: temporary and perma
nent; to which perhaps in these latte
days may be added third variety, viz.
artificial The former, twenty in num
Der, make their appearance In infancy
marking the transition period between
infancy and childhood, first the incisors
soon followed by the lateral; next the
first molars, then the CANNES, and lastly
the two posterior 1nolars-all of Which
disappear in childhood or youth in,med
lately TO be replaced by the latter, thirty
two in number, which with care remain
frequently to old age; but when lost are
never renewed. These are of four varie-
ties and take on names according to their
uses and the shape of their points, some
of which having already been mentioned,
as the incisors or cutting teeth. the
cuspidati, or CANNES, the bisurpids and
the molars or grinders.
Without going into the physiological
development of the teeth, we will sim
ply state that each tooth may be divided,
! for convenience of desert tion, into
three portions,-a crown, neck. and the
fang, or fangs, as the case may be,-and
is composed of three distinct structures,
viz the ivory, or tooth bone, tdentine, J
the enamel and the cortical substance or
cementum. The first of these or the
ivory, is composed of very small, undu-
lating and branching tubuli, which, open
ing by their larger extremeties upon the
particles of the pulp cavity, radiate to-
ward the exterior where they terminate
in infinitely minute,points. The second, or
enamel, made up of minute hexagonal,
crystalline fbers, forms kind of crust
over the whole exposed surface or crown
of the tooth to the commencement of the
root, being thickest in the centre of the
crown and gradually shading off or be-
coming thinner as itapproaches the neck.
The third or cortical portion forms thin
coating over all that part of the tooth
between the enamel and the apex of the
fang, or that covered IN by the alveolar
process and the gums, consisting of true
bone structure.
The growth of the teeth, unlike that of
the other members, takes place from the
circumference towards the centre, and as
a rule, which appertains to the whole
body, is never continued beyond full
development, though III few instances
of instructed nutrition, which are ex-
ceptions, the tooth may perhaps be pro-
longed, and sometimes enormously, into
what is commonly called tusk. In 9th
er words, the teeth, like the other mem
bers of the body, after arriving at ma
turity, de not increase their dimentions,
nature having fixed defite and well es-
tablished limits saying, ''thus far shalt
thou go and no farther" Again, in the
centre of each tooth is small cavity con-
tanning a scottish substance called the
bulp. to which the nerve is distributed,
and which sometimes gives rise to So
much trouble in exposures to the inhu-
ence Of wet and cold, and perhaps at
other times.
The teeth however are subject to other
Diseases besides neuralgia, the chief of
which, and perhaps the only one requir-
ing attention here, is carries, occasionally
the cause itself of neuralgia. To prevent
this affection it Is necessary that great
care and pains be taken to keep them
clean; or daily by the use of brush, with
some water containing perhaps some
disinfectant: agent, tofree them from the
accommodations of filth occasioned by the
decomposition of remnants of food left
between them after eating, giving rise to
| kind of tartar, the tendency of which is
| to destroy the enamel and when this is
done, no protection being left, they very
soon 60 to ruin. Strange as it may seem,
it is a lamentable truth, that the mouths
of many individuals are by far the most
filthy aperture they have about them !;
not morally, we dent mean, which may
perhaps be equally true. but physically.
| Therefore the recommendation of disin-
fectant additions occasionally we conceive
to be exceedingly appropriate. Indeed,
no individual should allow himself to be
so careless as to neglect these most i'm
portant of all organs, and which are des-
tined to fail him soon enough at least
with the best of care and attention, and
peradyenture may give him much uneasi-
ness and trouble during the process OF
decomposition. Hence regular habits
of cleansing daily should be adopted in
youth and assiduously persevered in
through life, with the use of any well
authenticated prophilaetics against car
les. Mark it; no one can neglect these
measures with impunity. as the foul
breath. so prevalent in society, even
among the refined, is much of it at least,
traceable to this source and can only be
corrected by directing attention to the
teeth. Also the taking of any hot
substances into the mouth and immed-
lately followed by cold ones, and the use
of very harsh brush should be seduous
ly avoided, as their tendency Is to injurs