Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-01-19
Misfilaneons.
For the Chronicle.
About the Teeth.

About the Teeth.
To:the patron. of this paper L woul'
say, by way of introducing both mysel
and the subject upon which design t.
write, that it had been my intention TO
some time prior TO moving to st. Clairs
vile to give the results ofmy researches
and experience in the general disease o
the teeth, and their attachments. Ther'
seems to be an utter want of any reli
able information upon this practica
point which interests so many. In the
course of these letters it shall also bt
my object to give as many useful ano
practical hints upon the treatment O.
these diseases as the nature of the case
will admit. No unintelligible term;
will be introduced where it can possibly
be avoided, and in all such instances the
simplest meaning of the term shall be
given. The subject before The reader is
roothache, and it may possibly surprise
him that SO. o.much can be said about it.
Toothache, properly SO called, arises
iAoAiA Naiiouo SausCSi sum 40 oSS"y VA
the teeth, or destruction of the gums and
bony sockets into which the roots OF
the teeth are firmly fixed in healthy
state, or it may arise from violence or
mechanical causes.
Decay of the teeth is caused in various
ways, the chemical action of destructive
substance, hereditary malformaticn
in which the teeth were imperfectly or
ganized, and from want of supply of
the proper materials of which the teeth
are composed, brought about by want
of proper food or debility of the sys.
tenn; preventing the necessary elabora-
tion of these constituents, by reason of
sickness, or any other cause that will
produce it, during the process of the
formation of the teeth within the gum,
and alveolar processes.
Decay of the teeth is often indirectly
caused by mechanical violence, and as
blow upon the cheek, or mouth, or
cracking nuts between them, &C., &c.
Acids are the agents which act chem
icaly upon the teeth, by dissolving GER
tain portions of them and thereby pro-
ducing decay.
There are many other agents which
may act injuriously to the teeth, as the
sudden action ofcold and heat in taking
cold water or ice, or hot coffee, tea, &C.,
into the mouth. Decay of the teeth is
o ften caused by improper habits gener-
ally, producing depraved condition of
the system, thereby changing the secre-
tions of the mouth from a healthy,
or alkaline, to acid reaction. Now this
changed condition in the saliva of The
mouth. holding as it does an acid IN its
solution, acts directly upon the teeth
by dissolving or decomposing them.
Persons often complain of the teeth be-
ing sat on edge easang sanAfsait,or-
any article containing an acid. Now
all acids act directly upon the teeth,
with more or less vigor, according to
their kind and strength; therefore, per-
soDs who consume much acid diet, are
almost invariably sufferers from decayed
teeth.
Dyspeptics, who suffer from that form
of indigestion characterized by greet
acidity of the stomach, and freqent acid
eructations into the mouth, as is gener-
ally the.case, in such persons, are almost
invariably sufferers from decayed teeth.
Persons taking acid medicines, without
taking proper care to guard the teeth
from contact with them often suffer the
loss of a greater or less number of their
teeth. Now, as the secretion of the
mouth (saliva) in a healthy state is
alkaline, something of the nature of
soda,) it at once becomes observable.
that the opposite or acid substances
must prove injurious to the teeth. 1t
has been asserted by able authors, that
a very large number of the diseases,
with which the human family suffers
hasthis effect on the secretions, to change
them from an alkaline to an acid reac- |
ton. Thus it appears that during sick
nesses o. various kinds the teeth are
bathed in acids and suffer in p, oportion
10 the tipe and extent of such an un-
healthy condition. How often it is |
said, my teeth were all sound until / |
took sick, they then began to decay"
Now as remedies are generally given |
during sickness, and the teeth suffer |
much at such times, there are very |
many persons who firmly believe that
all medicines are injurious to The teeth,
and to convince them to the contrary is |
Such persons are mistaken. |
1t was the unhealthy secretions of the |
mouth that did the greatest harm and |
caused the most destruction of the teeth. |
All medicines given so as to restore |
health, and to change the secretions of
the mouth from an unhealthy to a |
healthy condition, or from an acid con-
iition to an alkaline, just so far as they
tend to produce this change, do they
tend to protect the teeth from decay in
stead of injuring them. The strongest
mineral acids given, given in the most
,arelass manner, and no care ex-
ercised to neutralize them, though for
.he time, they may injure the teeth, if
hey be not too long continued and their
effect be 20 restore the health, they afford
l greater protection than injury. Nowiit
IS true that acid medicines do injure the
.eeth, but they have no comparison to
IN acid reaction of the secretions of the
mouth, yet it is in accordance with good
sense when such medicines are exhib-
ted that the teeth should be protected
rom their injurious effects by alkaline
washes, used Immediately after the |
acids are taken. Such course If prop |
,rly followed, will not only save the
5eeth from any injury the medicine
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