The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-09
Care Of the Teeth.

Dyspepsia and bad teeth are common
companions Their relations as cause
and effect may be controvertlble, but
that both are frequently due to the ne
elect of the teeth, and their proper use
will not be disputed by any one who is
familiar with the physiological rela-
tions of these useful and much abused
organs. The mouth, everybody knows,
is the gateway to the stomach, the COM
missariat of health, and for its protec-
ton all that is conveyed thlther re-
quires careful selection, and due PIE
paration. to fit it for healthy distribu-
ton. Hence how we eat is of scarcely
less Importance than what we eat.
Chewing vigorously, exercises the
teeth, while it also stimulates the
saliyary glands to furnish the most es-
sential means Of rendering food ac-
ceptable to the stomach, and easy OF
digestion, and without good digestion,
neither the teeth nor any of the other
organs can be we'll nourished. That
the teeth are commonly the first organs
to suffer after, or contemporaneously
with, indigestion, is due to the yitiated
secretions of The mouth common to
idyspeptics. BY this, the enamel is soft l
ened. becomes easily stained or loses
it's lnstre, and for this the tooth brush,
often too hard and harsh for the
teeth under the most favorable circum-
stances,--ls applied too vigorously or
too frequently, and not infreeuently,
with some mischieyous insoluble pow
der or corrosive wash, with the COM
mon result of destroying the enamel
and promoting decay.
Tooth brushes should always be soft
and rarely used more than once daily,
! before breakfast, which is quite often
enough to remove the insoluble par
ticles Of food which collect at the mar
gin of the teeth. Use the soft brush
with water only, or, at most with Moth
ing else but pure soap in addition.
Soap is not only more cleansing than
anything lse.sbut il leaves a sWeeter
and pleasanter taste, and is never fol-
lowed by injurious effects. A soft
wood stick to remove hard particles
froA between the teeth and rinsing
the mouth with water alone, after
meals, is ordinarily quite sufficient to
cleanse the teeth without brushing
them Metal tooth-picks should never
be used under any circumstances. and
4 quilts are, to say the least, not clearly.
Chewing pine stick, or better, when
accessible, dogwood stick, is often a
very salutary method of cleansing the
teeth ii causes the saIiye to flow
freely, and this dissolVes and washes
away particles not easily removed by
other means.
On tie chemical theories of decay OF
the teeth. we have no need TO enter,
No matter what its cause, q dentist
4 should be consulted on the very first
appearance Of q point or spot OF dig
coloration Properly treated at the
outset, it may be recovered Tor a life
!, time. AL that is said OF the relation
of bad teeth to dyspepsia, applies
| equally 10 children, lin the decay OF de-
cidnou5 teeth. There ID no more GER
tain sign Of q dyspeptic, badly nonr-
ished child, than the early decay Of the
deciduous teeth ,-or any more certain
means OF promoting dyspepsia and a
T, puny constitution, than it's neglect.
The early decay Of the deciduons teeth
should be an adrnoniblon to parents to
take special pains il, the selection aud
preparation Of the food, with q view to
4 Strengthening the digestive organs, ~
Including the teeth land giving tone
to the system, otherwise All enfeebled
constitution will be the inevitable re.
Z sult.-Dr. 3. n. Bell, in Sanitarian.