The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1879-04-11
TEE TEETH.
SOME SOUND ADVICE RESPECTING THEIR
cAREiAED Observation-Disclosures
TEE FIRST LAw-LEcTURE BY DE-
TRoIT DENTIST.
Pest and Tribune,

Pest and Tribune.
A large audience was present at the room
of the Scientific Association last evening to
oE {: Hygiene of the Teeth !" The lecture
was one of the most interesting presented
this season, and received marked attention
throughout. The lecturer began by say
ing that the mouth is the gateway Of the
stomach, and unless this gateway Is well
guarded the field beyond is subject to con-
tinued invasion. We know how little the
masticating power Of the teeth is brought
into use in preparing the food for the
stomach. as it is now served to US. Both
jaws and teeth need firm, bard pressure to
force the blood to the respective parts, and
thereby produce nutritive pabulum and
in this it seems is the explanation, in part,
at least, Of the fact that it is impossible for
the dentists to make brick without clay
in other words, to make good teeth of
those that were poor from the beginning,
poor fer lack of proper nutritive material.
The primary cause of dyspersia is not SO
much what we eat as the manner in which
we eat. If people would eat with less
haste, and discard the use Of liquids while
eating, we should have much les of dys-
pepsia. Chewing vigorously stimulates
the salivary glands, and furnishes to the
stomach cne of the best possible AIDS for
digestion. Chewing pine stick is an ex-
cellent thing for giving exercise to the
jaws, as well as cleaning the teeth bur If
pine stick is Objectionable, let the pa
tient chew gum, taking ca e, bow ever to
swallow the saliva. 1t is rather an unfor-
tunate thing to advise children good So
ciety to chew gum. but if the parents will
persist III feeding them Oh such food as
they do, something must be done to enable
them to clea1 their teeth and at the same
time aid their digestion. 1t is a very diff
cult matter to cleanse the teeth by brush
ing alone. Brushing 10 good, and should
be scrupulously attended 10 at least three
times day.
In the opinion Of the lecturer the majori-
ty of the dentifrices found in the drug
stores had bettar remain there. Warm
water and soap are the best articles for
cleaning the teeth. piece sf fine, white
French CASTLE soap and model ate.y stiff
brush are indispensable. Wood and quill
toothpicks are excellent, but metallic pins
should never be used. The best thing for
the removal of particles of food from be-
tween the teeth is untwisted or floss silk !;
it will 60 whsre pick cannot reach, and
no teeth are so closely Joined but what it
can be made to pass between them. The
chemical theory of decay is that acids are
found in the saliva. If the decayed portions
of ene's teeth presents dense, black ap-
pearaDce: it is very likely due to sulpburie
acid secretion if it be dark brown and
softin structure, it is probably due to a
muriatic acid secretion, and if it appears
yellow or white, the test will reveal nitric
acid or Tactic. Decay almost invariably
begins at the point of contact-that is,
where the teeth touch each other, and in
the fssures or depressions Of the blscuspids
and molars. This shows that the saliva
and debris of the mouth, being held IN po.
siton at these points, are largely, if not
wholly responsible for the mischief