Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-10-17
What Makes Our Teeth Decay.
"Doctor, I've taken so much stro,

= W. Wv - WIZ kAL1C III
SUPPOSE you think your physician is
wholly responsible Tor your decayed
that the iron tonic he prescribed con
tanned muriatic acid. Or possibly he
prescribed h%ydrocnloric or sulphuric
acid. 1t is always well to take such
medicines through q tube and then
rinse the mouth thoroughly. But no
one of these agents, however carelesslv
administered, is capable OF doing one
quarter of the mischief which an en-
animation of your mouth reveals. The
havoc has been wrought by acids, it is
true, but they We're born in the mouth.
You have what was formerly a beauti-
full sci OF pcarly white teeth. Some
time ago you discovered several de-
caytd spots which rapidly grew worse,
so that your seth seemed fairly to
melt away. Take a mirror and ex-
anime one of these. The channel is
translucent, breaks down easily and
reveals q larger cavity than YOU sus-
pected. This cavity is partly filled with
Il whitish, pulpy debris, anu when you
probe in, the walls are quite sensitive.
Hot and cold drinks hurt, and food lodg-
ing in the cavity starts the tooth to ach-
ing. Nitric aciddid it. Whence the nitric
ACID? From the decomposition OF am
monia i'll the mouth. Frequently, the
functions OF the skin, kidneys and other
cNcrctory organs become impaired, the
blood becomes overloaded with am
monia (Which. in a vigorous, healthy
condition is carried out of the SYSTEM,
and eventually this ammonia finds its
way through the salivary ducts into the
mouth. Then ensues a beautiful chem
ical reaction. The particles OF nitro
genus food which have been suffered to
accumulate between the teeth-you're
not going to interrupt me?"
why, | brush my teeth a,ter every
meal, doctor.fn
"lou do? And do you use your
toothpick and bit of strin 9 with scrupu-
lous care to clear ous all the spaces?
What IS that lodged here between these
teeth. A shred OF bccf?"
This shred OF beet. then, as we were
saying, de opposes after awhile and
libcrates nitrogen, hydrogen and oNy-
gen. This latter agent instantly unltcs
with the free ammonia in the mouth
and aslnall quantity of nitric acid is
the result. This nasccnt acid. which is
far more energetic in its action than
nitric acid taken into the mouth, at
tacks instantly the lime salts OF the
tooth surface with which it may come
in contact, and decay is the result.
What is the remedy? Cleanliness,
first of all, and secondly, anything
that will neutrali2e the ammonia:
Fruit or vegetable acid will dc this.
Eat more cherries, apples. berries,
pickles, sa~ucrkraut,; drink lemonade.
Try water made tart with vinegar at
meals. DO YOU understand now why
your daughter, ust blooming into
womanhood, Graves pickles, lemons
and vinegar She can bite into Il raw
lemon without wincing. Why: le-
cause her blood is %surcharged with am
monia, her mouth is full OF il, the sal
ia is ropy with 1t.
Sour food, 4 tooth-pick and q spool
of waxed floss silk for nitric acid
(white) decay.
Another observation apropos to this
subject. The free use of fruit acids
insures the teeth against that dis
gushing accumulation. tartar, by viz
tue of its destroying the free ammonia.
Before the ammonia decomposes to
form nitric acid. q portion of it neu-
traliZes the carbonic acid OF the saliva
by which its limo salts are held sus-
pended III solution. and these salts are
precipitaJel upon the teeth, forming
tartar. y swallow of vinegar and
wafer at night will do much 10 prevent
tartar.
"Eut the decay III my teeth is brown,
not white" You say. "The spots are
exGuislteiy sensitive"
H~ydrochloTic acid is the little mis-
chief-maker this timc. Have YOU sew
eral large filings extending to the gum
and SO Situated that food lodges in Con
tact with them? Perhaps you wear a
plato with clasps around one or two
teeth. This favors galvanic action,
and thence results hydrochloric acid in
its nascent condition. But independ-
emily OF these considerations this acid
often abounds in the mouth of persons
who use salt or sailed meats immoder-
ately. 1t he's no direct relation 20 am
monia.
"lhe decay IN my teeth is not like
either of.the above varieties you say.
alt is black rs ink
Sulrhurlc acid, then. The decay
progresses very slowly, and you suffer
very little at the hands OF your dentist,
and perhaps wonder why people make
such afuss about havilg teeth filled.
This acid is less destructive than the
other two named, still if You are great
ly alarmed by its inroads, avoid the use
OF eggs and such food as abounds in
sulphur. Your breath is likely to be-
tray the presence OF sulphuretted hv-
drogen, which does moi ut all resemble
altar of roses.
Thus far we have spoken only of the
active agents Of decay. The vitality of
the individual has much to do with the
matter of decay of the teeth. Eeycrs
cntccble the system and favor decay.
Don't blame the medicines. The ACIDS
your physician administers correct the
v~itiated conditions in the system, so
that if the teeth suffer it is probably in
spite OF his medicines, rather than be-
cause OF them. After typhoid fever, es-
pecinlly, look out for dccay.--Boston
BHdyct.
Weaning and Feeding Young Pigs.