The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-25
Dangers from DscaYing Teeth.

II is not true that savage tribes and
semi. civilized people have sennder
teeth, es q rule, than are found
among the highly civilized. On she
contrary, the conditions of culture
and refinement favor the pIeserva.
ton OF health through care and
cleanliness. Cleopatra was said to
have been the most beautiful woman
of her time, but what would be
thought of the claims OF modern
belle whose smiles should be marred
by a display of teeth in various
stages of decay, as were those OF
Egypt's famous queen3 Beautiful
and we'll kept teeth do more than
anything else to atone Tor defective
features. But there are other con-
siderations OF far greater importance
than mere personal beauty, which
require that the teeth should be care
fully watched from infancy to old
age. Neglected teeth are frequently
the cause of disease and death. DO
not remember ever to have seen
case Of facial neuralgia that could not
be traced to this cause. In recent
cases . cure can generally be Effected
by extracting such teeth as are much
decsyed and filling those that can be
saved in that way. l have recently
had two patients, one OF whom had
suffered almost constantly tor two
years with neuralgia of the face and
neck. | advised the removal of two
teeth and the filling of all the others
where cavities could be found; and
since that time, about two months,
there has been no return Of the
trouble. The other, a young lady of
sixteen, with teeth that are beautiful
and perfect In appearance, has
suffered frequently with neuralgia
headache. could discover no defect
in the teeth, and began to distrust
my theory of the origin of neuralgia
in the head; but | advised her TO con.
suit a dentist, and he discovered
narrow, but deep, cavities in the
crowns of five teeth; these were filled
a month ago, and there has been no
return of the headache. 1t should
be known that ordinarily cures are
thus affected in recent cases only. l
have in several cases of long standing
advised the extraction of all the teeth.
There is an interruption OF the
disease usually for few months, but
it is apt to return again, with dimin-
ished force. Decay is death, and
dead and decaying teeth poison the
blood by absorption and debilitate
the patient. There is nothing go re-
pulsive 10 the sense OF smell as
decayed tooth; nothing that more
surely carries disease to the vital
organs than to inhale effluvia from
such sources of corruption; nothing
that 50 nsusestes and disgusts every
BODY as fetid breath emansting from
such decay. l never saw an adult
person with bad teeth swho had not
dyspepsia, and who was not more or
less untidy. Almost unconsciously,
there is a want Of self respect. II
cleanliness is next to godiiness, why
should lot uucieanliness be next 70
something else? Parents should look
often and carefully to their children's
teeth, ss well ss to their own. II
decay commences, even with the
first teeth they should be filled. II
the permanent front teeth project
outward 30 as to prevent the lips
from closing easily, the defect should
be remedied at all hazards, for if the
air habitually reaches the lungs
through the mouth, bronchial trouble
is certain to result sooner or later.
Parasites always infest neglected
teeth, and tartar sccumulates around
them and burrows downward, des-
troying the perioatium, and the teeth.
To guard against these evils, great
care is necessary. Soap will destroy
the parasites, and proper tooth
powder, used occasionally, will pre-
vent the tartar from accommodating.
I would advise the greatest caution il
the selection of preparations for the
teeth. Many OF these advertised con.
tain acids, and although they clean
the teeth perfectly at first, they will
in time inevitably destroy them. 1t
matters not, however. what plan is
adopted to preserve the tee b, S long
as the OBJECT is attained and the