The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-02-11
DEFECTIVE TOOTH STRUCTURE
AND DENTAL HYGIENE.

stages Of development would Be foreign
10 the purpose Of this article
Il is saficient for u 70 know that IN
stances are coanon, and We might ssy
nunberiess. in which there IS Al Inherit
ed predisposition 10 conditions which
favor and induce decay Of the teeth.
Despite the prevalence Of diseases Of the
dental organs and ds1rruunding tissue the
uns;ghtliness Of these wrecked deutures,
the suffering induced by these abnormal
conditions. the impairment Of general
health and the possibility Of steering
clear of nine-tenths Of al this misery
and Eretchedness. there Is buf a snail
proportion Of cur people who earnestly
seek information regarding the natg-e Of
the teeth. the danger which beset them.
and as 20 how these dangers are hest
Esrdec of Uusually in giving inlernz-
ton bearing on the c0uservation 0f TIE
teeth. Il i customary 70 incuicai= the iul-
portanoe Of perfect eieanliness, and whi'e
no one could for q moment question d.
importance as 8 factor in the preserva-
ton Of the teeth and in lengthening their
term Of usefulness, yet there are ether
causes Of disintegrati1n Of tooth structure
more destructive than even the l0dgmenr
Of foreign substances about the teeth. lt
is q fact quite generally knoan that the
general health exerts q powerful infu-
enoe over these useful organs, but IS %
how this s done Is les plain IN perfec.
health the oral secretious are found 90 be-
either alkaline or neutral, and if these
chemical conditions prevail continually
the teeth viii last indefinitely. Is far as
chemical influences are concerned but
unfortunately there are some rsase-s
Why these benign influences Do not 81
WAYS prevail
While al very vel know that # the
digestive fluids are present in proper
Quantity, as Ia perfect health. the ques-
ton OF the digestibility Of food resolves
itself into one Of mechanical conditions
that is 70 say, the more finely divided tho
PARTICLES Of food, the more readily DIE
gested. on account q the increased slr-
face exposed 10 the action Of these soly-
ents. While al this is known o. every
one, vet We Americans viii IS a people
bolt our food, viii consume inorii-
nate quantities Of the same, VII persist
in the ase Of highly concentrated foods,
and as a result or these errors Of diet,
there Is an unbalancing OF the functions
Of the different organs, there is gastric or
intestinal irritation, and on examining
the oral secretions, instead Of finding
them alkaline or neutral. a. was before
referred to, We ind them distinctly All.
and a thick, r0py, acid mueus cIiBging to
the teeth, thus clogging the iBterstices
and preventinga free movement Of saliva
between them; We fnd ealcareous de-
posts about the neeks Of the teeth irri-
tafing and causing recession Of the guns
and the gums are found 70 be sponEy
and swollen, bleeding al the slightest
touch, and We may expect % end cavities
Of decay forming on the approximal s1r-
faces and in the sulci Of the teeth
This Is a sad state Of affairs. and 90
this stage the dentist Is appealed to for
assistance, though Il Is indeed little he
can render in the case without the CO.
operation Of the patient and as be IS
applied to as . dentist, and not a. phTsi-
clan. he VIII, 70 protect himself from the
ill-will Of the patient, stop short Of what
should be done in the case in the way Of
giving advice. Tomeet the case properly
he should give strict orders a. 70 regula-
ton OF diet, proper amount Of rest and
sleep. exercise in the open air. stree and
uncompr0mising rules IN regard 20 bath
ing. and all IN fact that would IN any
wav tend 10 bring about 8 nearer ap-
preach 70 perfect health Of the body in
general. Il Is then that the removal Of
the sslivary calculus from about The
necks Of the teeth, the application Of as-
tringent washes 70 the spongy gums. and
such other local treatment As the intelll-
gent dentist sees IT 70 carry out VIII IT,
suit in permanent good Yes thens ard
then only.
We would thus foreibly impress EPou
the minds Of eli those who really desire
information on this point, the fact that
there are more important points IL hy-
giene TO be considered. as It relates % the
care % the teeth. than even that Of keep
ing them clean. The habit Of studiously
avoiding the use Of the teeth by choosing
soft and over prepared foods is a source
+ Of evil most fruitful. The teeth having
been msde 70 overcome the great amount
[ Of resistance met with IN the proper
oomminution Of the food for the stomach
viii net without tins natural exercise
develop those qualities Of frmness- den
7 sitv and shapliness which are 50 essential
when either beauty or utility are % be
l considered The crust Of brad contains
more carbon than the softer portion of
the lOaf, and consequently Is more grate-
F. fal 10 the stomach-a1normally acid--
than the softer parts, which in too many
instances are chosen by the very persons
who most need the hard baked portions
The tough crust, apart from being
/ wholesome and ngt'iti0us- offers that re-
sis.ance which forces the mls-icz-oFy
appartus into the proper amount Of ez-
ercise 10 promote development And
again with meats. the average person
finding big steak triae tough AMI
cartilsginous .or as We imagine We hear
/ him say, too closely related 70 In3.a rub
Der, husbands his muscular powers bv
leaving it untouched, though e Is ricn IN
the elements OF food for the 5ony tissues.
and, il Is unnecessary 70 say, would al
ford any amount 0f exercise for the teeth
But without jesting in the matter, ne 20
think that many o. these tough portions
should not be despised-