The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-08-15

This Is commonly known as the teeth
getting on edge. In the filling Uf the
teeth great deal of trouble Is found la
the cutting and drilling of this struc-
turc. IN working with this part Of the
tooth some individuals get the idea the
dentist Is sort Of fiend, who delights
in the iniliction OF pain and has an un-
coutrolIable inclination for boring into
the nerve, but this Is not true. The
cementum, which covers the roots OF
the teeth, is very thin layer. thickest
at the apex of the tooth. In structure
and chemical composition H. resembles
bone.
The teeth are subject to several dis
eased conditions, bat the one most com
monty known to Ills is dental carries. or
decay of the teeth. Carries is Il gradual
decay " the tissues OF Il tooth, as have
been described, and is always from the
inside toward the nerve or pulp.
not from the inside out.
The causes Of dental carries are limit
ed. The local causes are faults of
structure, forms and positions Of the
teeth, forms and positions which per-
nit the massing and retention of food
debris. faulty structure permits OF the
rapid invasion Of this process. Consti-
tutional states expressed by lowered
vital tone Especially after Il long period
OF sickness) appear TO permit Of the
more rapid multiplication oi these
causes. but the most important cause Is
germs (micro orgenisms), these germs
giving of a fermcnt which acts on cer-
tain foods taken into the mouth, form
ing lactic acid. which acts as chemical
solvent. We are much indebted TO DR..
Miller for this information. He, with
chemicals, produced decay of the teeth.
artiticially. Any one with some knowl-
edge Of chemistry can easily see how
this takes place. When this acid is
formed It dissolves the enamel, expos
Ing the dentine. The dentne is cupped
out, destroyed over a greater or less
area. the concavity containing ferment'
ing masses OF food debris, beneath these
masses the dentne is decalsifed soft
and almost structureless. II this is long
continued and not retarded in any way
series Of complications arises, ending
in the death Of the pulp and the de-
| struction OF part or the whole OF the
crown, These cavities formed In order
of frequency are, first, in pits. grooves
and fissures OF the enamel: second, the
| spaces between the teeth, etc. These
can be found by actual observation or
by the use OF appropriate instruments.
Cavities in the teeth are nearly always
larger within than without on account
of the dentine being less resistant to
decay. A very minute opening in the
enamel may lead into a very large cav
ity OF decay. The treatment of decay
is the removal Of all the infected mate
rial, and the ragged edges of enamel
walls, and their replacement by suitable
filling materials which shall serve to
restore the lost form Of the tooth, The
object in filling the teeth is to secure
their future preservation at that part
from the recurrence OF deay.
The various accepted filling materials
in use are gold, tin, amalgam cemeuts,
gutta percha. These different materials
are not used indiscriminately. This in
wolves q consideration of the location of
the filling, the structure of the teeth,
the age Of the individual the power OF
We will not have time to study the
various methods OF preparing and filling
the teeth, nor will we consider the
mechanical appliances used in the
mouth, but we will go rather to the
study of the care of the teeth and the
Importance Of some instruction along
this line to the general public. With
little or no instruction most every one
can maintain a state of cleanliness In
the mouth. The Importance OF this
you know is necessary to preserve the
teeth. 1t is accomplished by the use
OF suitable tooth brushes and properly
compounded tooth powders. The cor.
rect use of the brush requires that it be
placed with some degree of frmness
upon the outer and inner faces of the
teeth and then slightly rotated. The
pressure drives the bristles into the
valleys and the rotary movement being
away from the gums, avoids injury to
| etp nj
this procedure in combination with
the use Of picks and floss silk
should maintain correct bygenit
condition OF the teeth upon which
in the light OF the present knowledge o
the causes of the solution of the enamel
depends the preservation OF the teeth
from that source of injury. 1t has beer
shown when the enamel becomes at
tackled tho causa iS tha fermentation n