The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-05-08
INSTRUCT ons for okildren's Teeth.

Pardon my liberty, but being
thoroughly imbued with the sub
ject, feel iInpeled through a sense
of duty not only to ourselves anC
profession, but more especially tC
the little sufferers from toothache
to present a few facts for the bene
fit of all whom it may concern rela-
tive 10 shedding temporary, erup
tion of permanent and the necessity
for constant care and early atten
tion to children's teeth. And l as
sumo that the reasons are numer
Gus, the necessity obvious, the
philosophy sound and the benefits
from course of timely treatment
manifold. Correlatively speaking
there is life for death to the parts
strength for weakness, yigor for de-
bility, ease for pain, beauty for de-
fOrmity, cleanliness for uncleanli-
ness and regularity for irregularity,
cOnjoined with all the comforts or
ills incident to healthy or diseased
dental organs. This subject heces-
sarily involves physiological,
pathological, hygienic, prophylac-
tic and n therapeutical considera-
tion of the teeth and contiguous
parts in connection with constitu-
tional peculiarities, varieties, and
hereditary or accidental defects of
the teeth. The subject viewed from
all of the above enumerated stand
points, is interesting TO the dentist
and if observed and practically en-
forced, viii be decidedly profitable
and beneficial to the child-in the
immediate as well as the Interior
results. We pass over all of the di-
visions Of this subject except hy-
giene.
By dental hygiene is meant the
dental branch of medicine which
has for its object the preservation
of tie health OF the teeth and the
parts with which they are con
nected. Generally ali organs, the
teeth, gums and alveolar processes
inclusive, are subjected to hygienic
influences. AS the health of one
organ, being dependent, affects or
modifies the manner with which all
the rest perform their functions,
make it almost impossible to lay I
down exact hygiene rules for one
Of the conditions of the
other. Hence, hygienic system
to be efficient must necessarily have
reference to the healthy condition
of the whole body. For example,
during the period of ossiication the
state of the general health deter
mines the physical character of the
teeth and any arrangement of the
whole is reciprocally felt by the
parts consequently an increased
susceptibility of the teeth to NOR
bid impressions. Still experience
las taught and established en-
ightened rules for giving attention
10 and taking care of the teeth and
# observed will be the means of
,ounterbalancing many Of the NOR
bid conditions to which they are
exposed. All the necessary atten-
lion which teeth well arranged and
free from disease required, is ex-
pressed in the language Of Desior-
abode is to perform ''the daily tot
lette Of the mouth and consist
simply in washing thoroughly three
Or four times daily with brush and
water, and the use Of floss silk in
between them" If stains or dis
colorations appear on the enamel
they ought to be removed at once
by mechanical agents, powder or
polish. But look at
the matter practically fyou please.
How often, oh, how often, are the
little sufferers forced to endure the
agonies of ;oothache from sheer
neglect or for a want of proper at
tention at the proper time to pre-
vent as Burns expressed it-''thou
he'll O. a disease" There are more
practical benefits derived from den
tai operations on the temporary
teeth than perhaps you are aware
of. You not only save the little
ones pain which is sufficient within
itself; but you exert wonderful in
fluence o Jer the whole economy by
preserving health to the parts, and
in aiding in q perfect development
of the permanent teeth and regular
eruption of the same in the arches.
And what we mean by attention
to children s teeth is to do all den
tai operations necessary for the
comfort and health ofthe child, and
the preservation of the temporary
teeth as long as nature intended
them for temporary purposes. The
reasons for it are too patent to chal-
lenge disputation. In this age of
physical degeneracy of tooth sub
the dentist should be Gus
todian OF the child's mouth as eff
fectually as the physician is it
health.
1t is true nature accomplishes
her work in many instances with
out any INSTRUMENTATION or
therapeutical--but in many instan
ces she does not and then the mis-
chief is irreparable and the loss s-ir-
retricvable.
And again it is not sinfrequently
the case that four of the permanent
are mistaken for temporary, neglec
ted and frequently lost on ac-
count of the parents inability to
between these four
permanent and the temporary
teeth-the common error is in sup
posing that they will be replaced
by successors, but frequently the
error is not discovered until too late,
and the mischief beyond repara-
ton. The number of decidious or
child's teeth are twcnty--ten to
each jaw-four incisors, too cusps
for pointed) and four jaw teeth to
each jaw-up to about six years of
age. Then between 3 and 9 years
Of age the child cuts or erupts four
more teeth Immediately back of
the temporary jaw teeth--these
four are permanent teeth and will
not be replaced by successors as is
commonly supposed. They are
called the six year old molars be-