Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-12-12
MEMPHIS TENN FRIDAY EVENING. DECEMBER l9 1878

white. the white being the most rapid,
Inexperienced persons nearly always
expect TO End dark spots where there Is
decay, but the truth is, the most danger
GUS decay may contain no coloring at
all. / have many times known valuable
teeth 10 be lost from this mistake.
Teeth are generally sensitive when de-
cayed, but don't absolutely pain unless
the nerve ia nearly exposed. Am not
an advocate for the extraction Of the
human teeth, unless there is an absollte
benefit 10 result from It. q.
Have the gums cut in tsething, and
save your little innocents days and per-
haps weeks Of pain, aud yourselves
much anxiety and perhaps the life OF
one who will make your household
happy and joyful, The following are
the unmistaken Indications when 10 cut
the gums: "The child becomes indiffer-
ent, il worries, il is difficult TO amuse, il
becomes cross, it declines its customary
amount OF food, it requires an undue
amount of attention, its sleep is dis
turbed; this condition of things is ordi
narily of two or three days duration.
When the culminative stage supervenes
the worrying becomes almost constant,
the petulanee increases, the hands are
tossed about, the flushed face is marked
by lines indicative of trouble, food is
almost completely declined, sleep is
much broken, the night is passed by the
parent or nurse in wakeful and anxious
watching. The determination is then
made to bring into requisition the SER
vices of the physician the next day, but
the next day the tooth is through, the
child is better, and on the next it is as
well as usual; four days of worry and
suffering for the child four days Of
troublesome care for the parent, and
long nights of wakefulness aud watch
ing for both-all for the want of touch
of the lancet.
PLUGGING OF TEETH.
And as to plugging teeth, the great i'm
in the science and art of dem
tistry have rendered the operation COM
easy as well as cheap, and the
decay of the teeth can be stopped. This
has been demonstrated beyond doubt,
but it requires skill and painstaking on
the part of the dentist. Many persons
subject their gums and teeth to eontinu-
GUS irritation from the use of agents in
the way of deutri6ces, tooth.brushes and
other applications which are deleterious.
The use of charcoal will pit the gums
with black spots about the neck of the
teeth, and the manner in which tooth
brushes are used will cause the gums to
get loose, and in this way the integrity
Of the relation is soon destroyed. A
tooth.pow6er that will benefit must be as
as near soluble as possible, and it is just
as much our duty to try to ward off the
ills of life in this direction as in any of
the ailments which this earthly taber-
nacle of ours is heir to. Mothers should
teach their children to rub and pick
their teeth, not so much for the good it
will do now, but to beget habit which
will cling to them through life, and as an
example to those with whom they asso-
ciate. / am frequently asked, "What
is to be done with the temporary aching
teeth2" The very best authors on the
subject say do not pull them, but have
them filled on the very 6rst approach Of
decay. A few days since . child of
three years of age was presented to me,
and upon examination l found eight
decays in his teeth, and l plugged them.
This was, of course, attended with some
on the part Of the child but
with perseverance on our part succeeded
in making some filings that will pre-.
serve the teeth until the time arrives for
them to be replaced by the permanent
teeth, which will be from four to seven
years The teeth that make their ap-
pearance in the jaws at the age of six
years are the first of the permanent
teeth, and are frequently lost, from the
fact that they are taken for the tempo
rary teeth. With my long experience
and knowledge on this subject, in my
dental practice, | hope by superior
efforts to be able to commend myself to
your favorable consideration.
In conclusion, after a constant prae-
tice of more than twenty years, am
clearly ofopinion that as much may be ac-
by a judicious use of prophy-
lactics as any remedial agents that can
be used in this day of advancement in
dental science and art. A proper use Of
prepared chalk in one direction and
lime water and milk in another is per-
haps the best phrophylactic we have.
Respectfully submitted,
n S. HINsoN, Dentist.
R. L. WATT, Assistant Dentist.
256 Second street, Memphis, Tenn.