, 1885-11-21
THE aRtsr.mILLs or rgm As,,r.
Mat civilization Did FOR Our Tspth-
Advice 10 chaN Everything.

What Civilization DID for Our Teuth-
Advice 10 Chez Everything.
lfpcag, Heriid1
one of the lest known dentists OF tina
city was in n communicative mood the
other day when - reporter was having 4
little tooth "carpentcring doae itu-
rally the subject tarncl upon the pres
ervaiion OF the teeth, and the do TOR
was easily induced TO express his views,
which he did about as follows,
hen primitive man dined on touyh
meat in a raw or half-cooked condition.
tearing the flesh with his tetth. and
gnawing the tones like a lion little need
had he TO look after the state Of his
grist- mill, for the vigorous action, the
firm pressure of the gums, the rough
friction against bone and gristle. IN
short. the energetic exercise OF the
whole mouth kept his mills in perfect
condition. Our primitive friend lived
TO a ripe old age, and then died with II
mouthful of sound teeth.
But, alas. with the glories and ameni-
ties of civilization came the new process
of cooking and changes of diet, much
less favorable to the health OF our grist-
mills. Meats were made tender by
thorough exposure to heat. Vegetables
were reduced to a soft papescence of the
same agency. ami tino white bread
became the stat of life, so that the teeth
had little or nothing to do, no hard
work to keep them clean and strong or
to make the gums irm and healthy. To
make matters still worse, having little
or nothing to chew, we lost the good old
habit of chewing, and even our soft
foods were swallowed without the little
mastication that they needed This lack
of use produced feeble nutrition and
lessened power of resistance, and soon
organic acids, decomposed food, etc,
wrought havoc upon the tooth tissue,
eroding and eating away the enamel and
dentine till n fine day a sharp pain
sternly called attention to the fact that
civilized habits are not compatible with
sound grinders.
I'm the causes of decay given above
are Swallowed forth the two principal
means which it is necessary to adopt in
in order 10 preserve the teeth; that is,
cleanliness and use. Use your teeth in
chewing your food; chew everything
you put in your mouth vigorously and
thoroughly, whether it is ely of
pigeons brains or leathery beefsteak.
If you do this, and let nothing pass the
portals Of your mouth without having
first given the teeth some vigorous exer
else upon it, not only will the teeth be
frmer and stronger, but the whole
mouth will be healthier and the diges-
ton improved. To further this object
avoid cutting the meat into such
microscopic bits that it can be, or is
likely to be, swallowed whole, and
avoid undue haste in eating.
This proper use Of the teeth should
be supplemented with a vigorous use of
the toothbrush upon the teeth and
gums, especially the latter. Vigorous
friction in this way is a substitute for
that before spoken Of as being so beneti
cial to our primitive friend when he
gnawed bones and ohewed gristle. 1t
%engenders an increased flow Of blood to
the gums, stimulates them and improves
their nutrition. Brush them every day
till they bleed, and it only makes them
lirmer and healthier, until finally no
amount of brushing will make them
bleed. Next mi cleanliness. By
means of toothpicks and rinsing the
mouth with water after each meal keep
the interstices of the mouth free from
particles Of food.
"A popular error that should be cor
reotod, and by whom better than by
the doctors. is the idea that the irst or
milk teeth should be pulled out as soon
as they are decayed or show signs of
looseness. Let it be remembered that
when the milk teeth are extracted be-
fore the proper time a narrow and con
tracted or more seriously deformed Jaw
results. The rapidly growing Jaw OF
the boy or girl closes in upon the space
left vacant by the lost tooth, absorption
of the alveolar process takes place, 50
deforming the jaw that when the second
teeth come they find no room and be-
come crooked and irregular. In short,
an i~rremediable error has been made. 81