The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-05-01
The Teeth.
HOW TO. KEEP THEM HEALTHY.
cH1LDREN's TEETH.


" |
CH1LDREN's TEETH. NJ |
The lecturer traced tho formation of
the teeth, from the primary or milk |
teeth to the secondary teeth. He de |
claimed against the idea that it is not |
worth while to save the child's teeth,
since they are soon to be replaced by
others. If a child's tooth be extracted
long before it is really to fall out, that
part Of the jaw whence it is taken,
shrinks-the neighboring teeth APP
proach each other, and perhaps the
permanent tooth never arrives at
eruption, but remains hidden in the
jaw. <
DENTAL DECAY
does not start from the inside of the
tooth, as some suppose, but it starts
from the outside and proceeds inward.
Blush white transparent teeth are
much more liable to early decay than
yellow ones which are thickly invested
with enamel. But this quality of dura-
bility is acquired at an earlier period
than many suppose, being gained dur
ing the first eighteen months of life,
and while the child is being nourisl,ed
by its mothers milk. Hence the con-
dition of health and the chemical con-
stitution of the mothers blood has
great influence upon the durability of
teeth. If the foundation then laid is
frail the future structure will soon fall.
The deposit of the enamel for the per-
manent incisors occurs in the eighth !;
month, therefore the child must in
early infancy receive from the breast Il
sufficient amount of calcareous nutri-
ment.
In the structure of the enamel the
lime predominates over the acid with
which it is united, and the compound
can only be dissolved by acids.
THE GREAT ENEMIES OF OUR TEETH
bare acids. They are sometimes direct
ly introduced to the teeth as an arti-
Gle of food. Another source of acid is
the decomposition of sugar in the
mouth which changes to loctic acid
The saliva of the mouth in its norma
condition is an alkaline, and is an ex.
cellent preservative. But in certain
conditions of ili-l,ealth it,becomes acid
This condition, fortunately, is of rar'
occurrence. If the enamel is smooth, i
furnishes no lodging for foreign bodies
, but if tits rough, foreign matter &C
cnmulates and turns to acid. This
having eaten through the enamel, pro
ceeds inward with a rapid march, ant
hollows the tooth out in q short tim,
if not arrested.
The speaker advised that when :
mother or nurse has defective teeth
she should take, during the time sll
nurses the child, small doses of phos
plate of lime, to supply that nourish
ment to the infant.
Children should he taught never 4
crack nuts with their teeth or picl
their teeth with any metallic sub
stances.
TO PRESERVE TEETH.
Extreme care should be taken tina
acids do not remain in the mouth
neither shoultsor other substances b
suffered to undergo dccompositio
there. The greatest panacea for poo
teeth is cleanliness. The speake
dwelt on the Importance of thoroug
brushing of the teeth, not only nigh
and morning, but always after eating
}, He said an error frequently made j
using the brush on the teeth is that {
drawing it transeversely across then
from one side of the mouth to til
other. This practice long continue
will produce transverse assures whic
finally become so deep that the teet
present an appearance of having bee
fled into. This transverse brnshin
also has the pernicious effect of brnsl
ing the mucus into the interstices b.
tween the teeth. The teeth should /
brushed from above downwards an
from below upwards-never from sic
to side. The inner surface should ais
be rs carefully cleansed and care shoul
be taken that no particles of food al
: left in the interstices.
ABOUT TOOTH POWDER.
Dark tooth powder should not |
used, because it works mp under Il
gums and discolors the edges. Pul
soap is good dentrifice. A tool
pewdor must, above all things, be a
kalinc, and should contain notl,ir
capable of becoming sour, such as Il
:: sugar of milk, which is sometime
used. Whenever a tooth powder
. praised for its quality of renderir
l. the teeth very white, ii. should |
= looked on with distrust, since it
= pretty sure to contain some agel
r. that will attack the enamel. Too
,s powder should be so fine grained tn
: when rubbed between the fingers 1
10 particles can be felt.