Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-17
IN THE DENTISTS CHAIR.
Care OF Children's Tceth-Scveral Good
Suggestions-False Teeth.

Suggestions-Ealse Teeth.
The other day I sat down in my dent
lists chair comfortably, knowing that
what was about to be done would not be
at all painful or annoying, and while he
was getting ready his various instru-
uents asked, inquiringly:
"Bostonians have very good teeth, as a
rule, haven't they?'
The dentist smiled. Teeth, as a rule,
are rather good than bad the world over,
In these days" he said. People arc
gradually waking up to the fact that it is
newer toe soon to attend to children's
teeth, and, as result, they come into
Dur hands at so early an age that we are
able to correct any irregularities in
growth, and to look after them so care
fully at regular intervals that G fine set
is assured. 4 baby should have tooth
brush as soon as he has a tooth, and it
should be used, too, carefully and judi
ciously, always once, and generally twice,
a day. First teeth very often decay, and
need filing just as much as the second,
and one cannot be too particular about
these things"
Does the second set usually come as il
ought to come, without any assistance
from dentist?" said |, anxiously, think
ing of my infant nephew, who was just
then cutting the eye teeth of his first set,
and decidedly taking time by the fore
lock.
He smiled again. 'Well. l should say
it is always safer and wiser to consult
the brotherhood" observed he. Then
there is no risk. Although those teeth
which grow crookedly can be made to
take their proper place after a time, with
l. n-+
upon their first appearance, and a good
deal of needless trouble and perhaps suf-
fering would be saved. Modern dentistry,
as you well know, works miracles. The
only thing it hasn't succeeded in doing is
to induce a third set of teeth to grow, and
fear that is something which science
will never achieve. But there is no rea-
son why every one should not have at
least q fair set of teeth, which, with
proper care, viii tide them safely over a
natural existence"
''What do you mean by proper care?
Brushing frequently and coming often TO
your"
They ought to be brushed after every
meal, or certainly at night and morning.
But one cannot be too careful as to the
sort of tooth powder one uses. l very
often see powdered charcoal advocated by
newspaper writers and quacks. Now,
nothing is moro injurious to the teeth
than powdered charcoal. 1t is in reality
carbon, the hardest substance known, of
the same nature precisely as the diamond.
Its constant use cannot help wearing off
the enamel and otherwise seriously affect
ing the teeth, and, except in rare cases,
and seldom, it should never be put upon a
brush or into the mouth. OF course, each
dentist has his own particular powder
which he advocates and advises in prefer
ence to all others, but this is a question
upon which his opinion should most as
suredly be asked. If he is consulted often,
and allowed to examine the teeth at re-
gular stated intervals, the cure of them
Will be far less painful, and they viii
naturally be kept in much better order.
People are apt to be negligent, perhaps
because they dread the discomfort of the
dentists chair. If they only knew. how
ever, how very much better ones own
teeth are than any artificial set, they would
never hesitate about preferring any
amount of filling to pulling out A good
dentist never advises the latter alternative
unless it is absolutely unavoidable False
teeth, l regret to say, are rather fashion
able in certain class of humanity-the
lower class. whose principal faculty is the
initiative. Mrs. Jones, who really needs
it, has all her upper teeth drawn, and is
provided with new set, white. even, and
Of the finest porcelain. Thereupon Mrs.
Brown, whose molars and bicuspids are
sound as a trivet, seized with pangs of
envy. goes and does likewise, and regrets
her folly ever after. But the deed is done,
and teeth, once out, can never beput back.
That is an axiom everybody ought to re-
member. Boston Herald