The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-09-30
All About Teeth.


sweet breath cannot be ugly" was
saying of Jean Jacques Rosseau tha
modern dentists never tire of quot
ing. Beautiful, white, e,even teeth new
er fail to attract admiration to theil
possessor, while a mouthful, or eyeI
two or three protruding teeth vii
mar the highest type of beauty
Some otherwise pretty mouths ar
rendered unsightly by an overabun-
dance Of teeth which are so crow.
ded as to oyerlay one another, and
if the upper lip be short, the effec
is anything but agreeable. Otherl
have too long upper teeth that ar
known as squirrel teeth" and max,
it difficult to keep the mouth closed
With the present perfection in den,
sistry the first defect can be readily
corrected by extracting one or more
OF the teeth loosening the others and
turning them in natural position
Nothing can be done with squirrel
and hog teeth" but to replace them
with false ones, which are nova
days better than the original, and
besides being perfectly comfortable
defy detection. All cannot have
perfectly white teeth, for there is as
much difference In the shade of en-
amel as there is in hair, but soiled,
unkept teeth are an abomination.
Whether false or natural the same
care Is necessary to neatness no less
than health.
The most common disease of the
teeth is tartar, calcareous deposit
due to the excess of lime in the sill
va and lack of care in cleaning
This annoyance has received the
most careful consideration of medi.
cal dentists, and there are almost as
many theories current as there are
students. Some enthusiasts on the
subject of germs uphold the theory
of animalcule. They advance the
argument that the insect is supplied
with tentaculars or feelers which
enable it to grasp and gather in the
sediment contained in liquid and
some solid foods, just as the coral
appropriates the lime of salt water.
These zoophytes make their habita-
ton on the part of the gum which
projects up between the teeth. 1t is
noticeable that in certain localities
where hard or mineral waters are
found, the people are more troub-
led with tartaric teeth than those
who consume soft water. While
many erudite students hold to this
theory, the common belief is that
particles OF food are allowed to col
lect on the flap of the gum overlap
ping the back of the teeth forming a
lodgment for the lime in the saliva.
Said a dentist: at takes some
little time to clense the teeth proper
ly-that is, using freely the vertical
instead of the horizontal,
and going over the whole set twice
at least, the last time with clear wa
ter, to remove any lot of tooth
powder that might have been left
As for the brush, we always recon-
mend just as hard and stiff bristle
as may be used without making the
gums bleed. Irritation will not hurt
them, but it is not safe 10 rup-
ture them. On the other hand,
soft bristle is little better than moth
ing. for the hairs bend under pres
sure and tail to clean the surface to
which they are applied.
Disease of the gums and injury to
The teeth from spurious dentifrices
are not common. but there is danger
nevertheless to be apprehended by
some preparations. Nearly all pow
iers contain borax, an element that
is very clea nsiug, but deleterious to
the gums and teeth. Strong tooth
soaps are highly injurious on ac-
count of the powerful alkali they
Charcoal should never be
used nnless subjected to great pres
sure and intense heat. 1t is cleans
ng ,refreshing,and considerable ofan
but a pernicious enemy
10 enamel, for it cannot be pulverlz-
ID so fine as to obliterate the needle
ike fineness of the fibres. Salt is to
De preferred to carbon, as the crys-
ais are soluble. but it is not suffi
,ient for the requirements. 1t leaves
he mouth refreshed and stimulates
he circulation, but if the gums are
sensitive it is apt to smart them. 1t
5 a safe rule to repudiate any pow
Ter or compound, no matter how
cleansing it may be to the teeth. !
hat leaves the mouth parched and |
lrawn. The best dentifrice known |
o science is combination of orris !
DOT, English prepared chalk, and
oulverized eucalyptus leaves, which !
my professional pharmaceutist will
compound.
The teeth are not intended to be
lsed as nut-crackers, nor for break
ng thread and tearing cloth. Acid
polls the enamel; even lemons are
INJURIOUS, though women rub the
peel on their teeth and gums to
rake the one white and the other
ed, which use, Cazeuave says, pro-
luces carries, that cruel enemy to the
mouth. Hot as well as cold water
> injurious as wash tepid water
3 better the year round.