The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-04-17
The Teeth.
Halls Journal of Health.

Natural teeth, clean, perfect and
sound, are essential to the comeliness
of any face; they not only add to the
comfort and personal appearance, but
contribute largely to the health of all.
Hence, special and scrupulous attention
should be paid to them daily, from the
fifth year, each tooth being minutely
examined by skillful, intelligent and
conscientious dentist every third month,
up to the age of IS, when they may be
considered safe, with semi-annual in
spection. Avoid cold and hot food
and drinks most sedulously. If a 'pick'
is ever employed, let it be of wood or
quill. Never use dentrifice prepared
by strange hands. Tartar on the teeth
is formed by animalcule, some of which
are instantly killed by soap; others by
table salt; hence wash the teeth with
wet brush, drawn across piece of white
soap, every other night, at bed time,
using the salt once week, which, per-
haps, whitens the teeth as safely and
well &C anythina -D---~----e,-----ea.--
without residue, and passes into the
stomach at once, hence cannot possibly
hurt the teeth by its adherence to them.
Heat and cold and acids are the things
which injure the teeth on the instant of
touching them. Sugar can only act
perniciously in so far as by its too free
use it causes dyspepsia. A doughnut,
daily, will sooner hurt the teeth than a
lump of sugar. Roast beef and canvas
back ducks, oyster suppers and lobster
pies, pastries and puddings, are thous-
and fold more destructive to the teeth
than pure candles, because they are the
direct agents of dyspeptic disease in the
masses, and disorder the stomach, gen.
crate acid gases and a liquid so sour
that when it is belched into the mouth
it has been known to take the skin off
of the throat and inner lips. Much
harm has been done, by propagating
the notion that sugar candies are hurt
full to the teeth, by drawing attention
away from the general causes, such as
commanding hot foods, ice-cold drinks
and want of tooth and mouth cleanli-
ness. Teeth hereditarily poor may be
kept in good state of preservation for
many years if we'll watched, kept plug
ged in finished style, cleaned as above,
and the stomach is made to do It's duty
by temperate, active and regular life.
Great stress has been laid on the fact
that solid tooth becomes soft and pull
py if stepped in sirup for a few days,
yet no apparent effect is produced on a
tooth soaked for weeks in a solution of
calomel, which so many claim to be a
most deadly agent to the teeth. Pure
sugars and candies do not injure the
teeth, except indirectly by their injudi-
cious use, exciting acidity of stomach
or dyspepsia; as will any other kind of
food condiment, drink or beverage, even
roast beef, brown bread or Boston crack
er, if extravagantly used. All infants
and young children would die in very
few weeks if not allowed to eat anything
containing sugar, because they need the
carbon of the sugar to keep them warm;
their extravaganl, their Unsuitable fond
-sess Co. e-~~-J ttis.5 o''SSt ~ s--PisS~ iz
stinct of nature. If candies were used
as desserts in winter; and fruit berries,
in their natural state, ripe, raw and per-
feet in summer, to the exclusion of pies,
tarts, pastries and puddings, human life
would be extended and many dentists
would have to seek other occupations.
The teeth should be washed with a
stiff brush on rising, and with an old,
used brush Immediately after each meal,
always employing luke-warm water, or
holding cold water in the back part of
the mouth until it is warmed. Never
eat an atom after the teeth have been
washed for the night. After meals let
the bristles of the brush be moved up
and down by twisting motion, max
ing each one a tooth-pick. A yellowish
tint to tooth is proof of its soundness;
hence do not seek to keep them of
pearly whiteness; it destroys them.