Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-11
A PRETTY MOUTH.
II IL a Rare Thing-How Mouths Are
spoiled-ssme susgsstious Of How TO
Improve Its Appearance-Care Of Teeth

II IL a Rare Thing-How Mouths Are
spoiled-seme susgesfious Of How TO
Improve Its Appearance--Care Of Teeth
and Gums.
From Harper's Bazar.l
Being the most expressive feature OF the
face, the mouth has much to do with produc-
ing the effect of beauty or its opposite Whiie
o large mouth gives an impression of coarse
ness, particularly in woman, too small one
Is almost equally Objectionable, and has been
not inaptly compared to a buttonhole.
Cupid's bow is the standard pattern for per-
feet mouth, which has clearly defined edges,
while the under lip is short and full, as II, to
quote the old poet
''Some bee had stung it newly"
The color should be q vivid red with no need
of biting the lips to give them look Of glow
ing freshness
There are few things so charming as a lovely
mouth, and few so rarely seen. There will De
fine eyes and beautiful hair in profusion, but
perfect mouth is hard to find 1t is not feat
ure that engages the attention of unrefned or
uncultivated people, who are invariably at
tracted by bright eyes and snowy complexion,
but to the reader OF human nature, the mouth
Is an interesting study.
The study of the Mouth.
Thus, thin straight lips indicate bad temper.
while those that are too full proclaim a sensual
nature; mouth with blunt corners is charm
ingly expressive; corners that turn upward be-
long to a merry disposition, while those that
droop downward denote hard, cruel nature.
Dimples at the corners of the mouth give q
look OF great sweetness, and the soft flexible
curves cur, & OF the upper lip are also very express
s1ve. when these curves are sharply defined,
and the space between them and the nose ID
very short, 1t gives character to the profile.
A habit Of sucking and biting the lips is ruin
n harN and do pnrnn n
coniesses that her very pretty mouth was
spoiled in this way before she was 30. Chill
dren's mouths are often stretched out OF pro
portion by theif propensity from babyhood Tor
stuffing all sorts of miscellaneous articles into
this convenient receptacle.
Biting the lips frequently makes them sore
and for hard, dry lips little pure glycerine
lightly rubbed on at night, is often beneficial.
A harmless application for the same purpose is
made OF quarter Of an ounce of white wax,
with one teasp0onful each of glycertne and
mutton suet. The wax and suet are melted
separately, and then the whole mass is well
mixed, and turned into a mold to cool.
Some persons are greatly troubled with
chapped lips-for which the above recipe will
be found benef1cial-and a chapped. dry-look-
ing mouth is anything but attractive. Mungo
Park, during his much quoted travels In Africa.
the negro bellies, and among the decisions at
which they arrived was the impossibility of
finding woman anywhere who would be will
ing to kiss such thin, shriveled mouth as his,
from the African standpoint
Don't Make Faces.
A mans mouth should be large rather than
small, as the latter characteristic gives a con-
tracted and effeminate look to the whole face,
and 1t is expressive of an entire lack of manly
qualities. Any mouth to be fully satisfactory
requires a reasonable amount of room; and the
perfect rosebud of a mouth" which the
writers Of a past generation were fond of be-
slowing on their heroines, was appropriate
only for child.
Making faces'' and excessive smiling are
both injurious to the shape of the mouth, and
the former, which seems as natural a propen-
sity of childhood as stufing things into the
mouth, requires constant watchfulness. This
ugly habit sometimes clings for life. and it
seems impossible for the victim to talk without
grimacing. Superfiuous smiling is almost
equally unpleasant and to he, as it were. on
the verge of smiling without really doing it, is
more attractive and dignified- When smiles
things, but the charm of a thoroughly sweet
smile, when not too often repeated, is quite ir-
resistible.
Lessons in the art of smiling have been re-
corded of ancient times, and as an elegant ac-
complishment, the art of smiling gracefully, in
just the right degree, deserves consideration.
Many persons open the mouth too widely. and
the process recommended by writer on beauty
Is "a sweet and gentle smile, where the mouth
hardly opens, the cheek dimples slightly, and
the lower lip just conceals the ends of the upper
teeth"
Catching Flies,
A mou tn half open-the rustic's look of won
der-gives a vacant expression to the face, and
produces the unpleasant result of dark line at
the base of the teeth, This is very disfguring,
and 1t always suggests lack of personal clean
illness. A very important part of the mouth
now comes into view, and one on which the
beauty of its smile depends. It makes all the
difference In the world whether the parted lips
disclose two pearly rows of teeth or gold I'LL
ings and dlsc0loration. Good teeth will make
an ordinary mouth attractive. but fresh. whole
some-lookfng gums must be included.
These need brushing as much as the teeth,
which are put up so attractively in tasteful
boxes and represented as ''infallible for whiteu-
ing and preserving the teeth" usually contain
which are sure to injure the delicate enamel.
Rubbing the teeth and gums with piece lemon,
although often recommended for whitening the
structive as the use of other acids.
A ripe strawberry crushed around the teeth
before retiring, and left there until morning. is
said to give lustrious hue to the enamel and
o rich, fruity aroma to the breath, but there IS
the same objection to the acid.
Charcoal sweetens the Breath.
A bad breath is certainly repulsive, and very
properly SO. not only because it is so unpleas-
ant in itself. but because it can always be rem
edied with proper care. If it proceeds from de-
cayed teeth a dentist should be consulted; IL
from disordered stomach it is a case for the
physician. Two drachms of chlorate of potash
mixed with six ounces of rose water will make
a purifying wash to rinse the mouth with every
few hours.
Charcoal is a great sweetener of the breath.
and besides this it strengthens and whitens the
teeth, removes the tartar, prevents toothache
and gives the gums and lips an attractive red
color" About as much as can be placed on the
point of knife should be rubbed gently into
the interstices of the teeth on going to bed, to
be rinsed out thoroughly in the morning.
The objection to charcoal is its grittiness, and
it must be reduced as nearly as possible to an
impalpable powder. Its purifying qualities are
Invaluable, and. it is said, if taken inwardy, it
will cure indigestion.
"Pearly" teeth are considered especially
beautiful. and this rare charm If accompanied
as is apt to be, by space between the two
front teeth, gives peculiarly sweet. arch look
to the whole face. Sound teeth thanks to the
Improvements in hygiene and dentistry during
the last 20 years, are not uncommon now. but
beautifully shaped teeth with a pearly luster