The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-08-15
CARE OF FTEETH.
l.. l.. Means, ID. ID. s., In a Paper Read
Before Epworth League, Imparts
Some Practical information.
DENIES THE DENTIST is A FIEND.
A General Education on the Subject Would
Lessen the Demand for His Services
and Save q World Of Woe.

and Save q World Of Woe.
In response to an invitation TO furnish
you with paper relating to the teeth.
consented only with II great deal of
reluctance. owing to my inexperience
in this direction: but, with your pa
ticnce and power of endurance, which
Is required In nearly all branches of my
work, Twill try toawaken Il few opinions
IN your minds along this line that
might do some good. So. for very
short time. you may look down in the
mouth with mo.
Tie mouth toral or baccal cavity is
placed at the commencement Of the ali
mentary canal. II is nearly an oval
shaped cavity In which the mastication
of the food takes place. 1t is bounded
in front by the lips, laterally by the
cheeks and alveolar process OF the up
per and lower jaws, above by the hard
palate and teeth Of the upper jaw, be-
low by the tongue aud mucous MEM
brane stretched between the undersur-
face Of that organ and the inner surface
OF the Jaws. and by the teeth of the
lower jaw, behind by the soft palate and
the throat.
There are two stages Of digestion
that take place in the mouth. NIastica-
tion, or the chewing of the food. and
insalivation, or the mixing of the food
with saliva.
The teeth are responsible for the
mastication of the food, Of which each
human subject Is provided with two
sets, which make their appearance at
different periods Of life. The FIRST set
appears at childhood and are called the
temporary, deciduous or milk teeth.
The second set which also appear at an
early period, continue until old age
and are named permanent. The tenn
porary teeth are twenty In number,
four incisors, two CANNES and four mo
lars in each jaw. The permanent teeth
are 32 in number, four incisors, two ca
mines, four bicuspds aud six molars in
each jaw.
Each tooth consists of three PORTIONS:
the crown, or body projecting from the
gums; the root, which is entirely en-
closed within the alveolus; and neck,
the CONSTRUCTED portion between the
other two. The roots are firmly i'm
planted within the alveolar process, as
some of you well know. The alveolar
process, COMMONLY known as the jaw
bone, is not the jaw bone proper, but
that portion of the maxillary bones in
which are implanted all the teeth. II
is spongy and elastic, making the teeth
less resistant in extracting and 1t is
resorbed by cells, when the teeth are
removed, therefore, the fracturing and
removing Of portion Of this is not par
ticularly dangerous.
On making a vertical section OF
a tooth cavity will be found in the
interior. The cavity is situated in the
interior OF the crown and the center OF
each root, and opens by minute orifice
at the extremity of the latter. The
shape of the cavity corresponds some
what with that of the tooth. 1t forms
what is called the pulp cavity and con.
tains soft, highly vascular and sensi
tive substance called the dental pulp
The pulp consists Of connective tissue
cells and is richly supplied with blood
nd .i.h q 4.
cavity through small opening at end
OF the root.
The solid portions of the tooth con
sist OF three distinct structures, viz.
the dentine, which forms the larger
portion of the tooth; the enamel, thai
layer which covers the exposed portion
Of the crown, and the cementum, which
covers the surface of the root. The
enamel is the hardest substance OF the
body. 1t is dead tissue; In the cutting
and breaking of the enamel no painful
response is given, but ! realize thai
there are many individuals who ar,
not very close at discriminating.
The dentlne forms the principal mas
of the tooth. In its central part is tn,
cavity containing the pulp. 1t is ;
modification of bony tissue, from whicl
it differs, however, in structure. If W.
study it microscopically we find it con
sists of minute, wavy, branching tubes
having distinct walls. These tubes ar,
very small. 1-450O of an inch in diameter
where they leave the pulp. In thei
course to the outer surface their direc
tion varies. Vertically in the uppe
portion of the crown, oblique in tn,
neck and upper part of the root, ant
toward the lower part of the root the.
are inclined downward. The tubul
contain nervous matter, transmitting II
the nerve of the tooth painful impres