Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-16
Care of the Teeth.

DR.. White, editor of the DENTAL
Cosmo, gives excellent advice to parents
! as to the care of the teeth OF children.
The following suggestions may prove
useful to thousands of our readers
DR.. White mentions that earache is
often associated with and dependent on
the difficult emergen @ of one or more
teeth
Apart from the aggrsvatien of the
fever aud the increased liability to con-
WILSON'S incident to this added anguish
there is also the possibility of a loss of
hearing (of course entailing in young
children loss of specify from the re-
sultant congestion and inflammation.
Another valuable admonition relates
to sixth-year molars, whose true char
acter is strangely misconceived by most
persons.
He advises parents to count their
children's teeth occasionally after the
fifth year, aud when more than tive are
found on eit'er sile of either Jaw thew
may know that the sixth or last one be-.
longs to the second or permanent set.
and If lost, will never he replaced.
If found decayed, however, shortly
after their appearance. rs is frequently
| the case, they must be removed ut once.
but they should never be- allowed to
decay If the mischief can be avoided.
The attention on the part of the
parent or guardian should consist, not
only in directing the habitual thorough
cleansing of tho teeth by the child, but
should include personal supervision
Of the operation, in order that serious
omissions rs to time or manner may not
occur.
In addition, Il systematic examination
of the mouth by competent dentist
should be made ut frequen intervals.
1t will not do to walt until the child
makes u complaint of toothache, or I'M
til the ravages of decay make them
selves visible to the unprofessional
eye.
In chapter on the hygiene of the
mouth, DIR. White points out how much
mischief is wrought by the use of I'M
suitable brushes and mi udicious scrub
bing-by the resort to tooth powders
and mouth washes.
There is no agent, for instance, more
com monty employed for cleansing the
teeth, or more deserving of utter con-
domination, than powdered charcoal
Again, the large ma ority of persons
err III choosing brushes which are too
stiff and too large. and in applying them
too vigorously.
A very moderate application of soft
brush, with gentle FRACTIONAL powder,
such AS precipitated chalk, is suili ,ient
for the external surfaces of the teeth
it is quite unnecessary to use the pow
der oitener than once day, the .est
time for such purpose being Just before
retiring.
The morning cleansing may be prop
erly performed with the aid of little
pure, mild soap, like white CASTLE !;
and for rinsing the mouth after meals,
he recommends tepid water, to which
has been added q few drops of spirits Of
ammonia or lime water.
The use of quill toothpick after
meals to disloage PARTICLES Of food from
between the teeth is advisable, as is
also the use of strand of waxed floss
silk, passed between them at least once
daily. sgs.
Perhaps no single article is more use
full as u wash, in various disordered
conditions of the mouth, than phea0l
S0utInG, preparation uaue IRON CaI.
According to our author, it unites the
properties OF an ant-acid, an astringent,
sedative. u styptic, an aDtiseptic, and
disinfectant.
Provided there are no local, exciting,
mechanical causes, it will be found
effective also in that class of cases of
soft, spongy. swollen gums, which
bleed at the slightest touch.
This preparation may be used diluted
more or less, according to the varying
indications, from half teaspoontul to
tablespoonful, being mixed with a
tum blerful OF water.