Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-07-25


TO the answers that are given.
lst. because we eat sweet things. Do
you not remember how the affected teeth
ache when sugar coaes in contact with
them?"
2nd. Because we cat sour things
acids We use lemon juice, vinegar and
acids, and destroy the enamel of the teeth,
and then the work of destruction goes on"
Sd. because We use very hot and very
cold food and drinks. We take into our
mouths hot coffee, then ice water. now a
scalding pudding, then ice-cream. These
extremes crack the enamel, and thus
begins the work of destruction"
l have no doubt that each and all OF
these things is bad for the teeth, but you
may indulge in every Que of them, and
not lose your teeth, if you will KEEP THEM
CLEAN Clean teeth don't decay. Look
at that mans front teeth; see how white
and clean they are. How long do you
mink it would take that front, fiat white
surface 10 decay if kept as clean rs it is
nowP Never, you say. You are right,
Now let iue ask you another question.
How long would it take other teeth to
decay if kept equally cleanp l answer for
you, they would not decay in hundred
yeays. | will show you as many white
backbirds as you will show me clean
white teeth beginning to decay. 1t is, l
think, n physiological impossibility.
All there is of this business is simply
this: Keep vour teeth clean and they Uont
decay!
How shall they be kept clean. OF
course with q tooth brush, says some one.
Yes, tooth brush is good, but a toothpick
is worth an armful of tooth brushes. The
tooth brush does we'll in keeping the fat
sides of the teeth clean But on those flat
surfaces the food does not stick, and so
there is little tendency to decay.
The mouth is warm place,-nearly a
hundred degrees by tho thermometer. 1t
is never so warm in the shade in this eli
mate. And yet in our warmest weather
piece of meat begins to decay in twenty
four hours. If we eat meat to day for din
ner, the little pieces which find their way
between our teeth will, exposed to the
heat of the mouth, begin to decompose;
ought we to be surprised that the teeth
and gums should sufferp l am rather
astonished that they do not take on disease
even earlier.
Now, a tooth brush will not 90 between
the teeth, Especially the double teeth,
where decay begins the earliest,) and
remove those bits of food. The toothpick
is The great prcserUer of our teeth. The
brush helps the teeth to look white, but
the means of preservation must bu some
thing which goes between the teeth, and
removes the particles of food which find
their Way there when we eat
Detdils.-1st. On rising from the table
use II goose quill tooth pick thoroughly,
and, if practicable, rinse the mouth so as
to remove such particles as the toolhpick
may have left behind.
ID. On lying down at night use 4 tooth
brush, broad and soft, with pulverized
soap and prepared chalk. Do the same
thing on rising in the morning.
Sd. AS often as you discover any tartar
about the necks of your teeth go to a den.
tist, have the tartar carefully and thor
ouohy removed, and then scour away
with your brush and the above deptifrize,
which, by the way, the nearest druggist
will prepare for you.
Parents, see that your children attend
to their teeth. How they will mourn over
their loss. All, what would | give to
restore some which l lost before l knew
what am telling you
So complete is the protection afforded
by cleanliness, that a cavity in a tooth. if
excavated and kept clean, will not decay
any further. l once knew young lady
whose front teeth were badly decayed.
Two or three Of them were mere shells.
Coming into possession of a fortune, her
friends urged attention to her teeth as
belitting her new surroundings. She had
particular dislike of small points and
masses of gold shining out when she
spoke or laughed. She came to consult
me, and advised the thorough removal
of the decayed matter by a dentist, and the
use of syringe with warm water after
each meal to keep the cavities clean. 1t
was more than twenty years ago that this
young womans teeth were eXcavated by
the dentist. cannot see that in these
years the teeth have changed. l never
saw gold plugging preserve the teeth so
perfectly. firmly believe if the teeth
were skinned-deprived of their enamel,
and were kept perfectly clean, even the
naked bone would not decay.
The dentist is most useful member of
society. and should be visited frequently
with reference to the possibility Of any
new points of decay.-Dio LeWis.