Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-05-30
HYGIENE OF THE MOUTH.
AN INSTRUCTIVE LECTURE BY DR..
RICHARD GRADY
Before Students Of Annapolis High
School--Care Of The Teeth
To Lose One Is a MiSfOr-
tune-To Extract
ONE UNNECESSARILY A CRIME.

Grady, the Naval Academy dentist Dr.
| Grady held the undivided attention OF the
High School Department throughout the
| entire lecture, which contained much of
instructive interest and was thoroughly
enjoyed and appreciated by the scholars.
He referred TO manual and industrial
training in schools. the adoption OF which
system in the Annapolis school he strong
| ly advocates. He paid glowing tribute
TO Annapolis; quoted from the speech OF
the Hon. J. Writ Randall, delivered at
the dedication of the Southgate Memorial
and published in the CAPITAL DIR.
Grady used a variety OF illustrations
throughout his lecture, the subject OF
which was Hygiene of The Mouth. "
He said in part
The preservation OF the health of the
mouth is essential TO the general we'll
being. The breath. II made offensive by
diseased state oil the mouth or teeth,
cannot be wholesome when inhaled into
the lungs; nor can 1t exercise the best in
fluence upon the blood, which depends,
in great measure, for its quality upon the
purity OF tn air supplied to the lungs
Moreover. It is very undesirable to trans
nit offensive matters into the stomach, as
vitiated saliva or food polluted by nox-
ious secretions.
There is abundant reason for an ef-
fort to awaken general interest IN the
prevention and arrest OF the process of
decay in human teeth. There can be no
doubt that dental carries is on the increase,
is we'll nigh universal, while recession OF
the gums is feartully prevalent. even in
the mouths of the young, II these tend
encies are to be combated successfully.
it must be not alone nor chiefly through
the manipulative skill of dental operators,
but through better appreciation by the
people of the causes of the deterioration
and OF the means by which it may be
counteracted. 1t is high time that more
attention be given to the subject. The
amount of information possessed by the
public in this direction is lamentably small
alt is estimated that twenty million
teeth are annually sacrificed in the Uni
ted States. The criminal neglect thus
exhibited involves not only this waste of
teeth, but il is the fruitful cause of abb
| scesses, facial deformIties, neuralgias,
dyspepsias, headaches, eye and ear
troubles, and other morbid conditions.
Protracted arrangement OF sight, of
hearing and of the general health not in
frequently have their unsuspected origin
in the mouth. For these reasons, the
facts relating to the formation, structure,
development, eruption, character, func-
tions and diseases of the teeth, and TO
the preservation of their health and that
of the associated parts should be better
understood.
"The comfor: of a pure breath and
wholesome saliva. the agreeable effect
produced upon others by the exhibition
of a clean and healthy mouth, the ad-
vantage OF the teeth in distinctness of
utterance in speech and song, the favor
able impression made upon the general
health by the ability thoroughly to mas
ticate the food. exemption from suffering
which would be caused by diseased or
gans, and the possibility of the preserva-
ton and usefulness OF the teeth till ad-
vanced life, are reasons sufficient, it
would be thought, to induce every one
TO pay attention TO the health of the
mouth. There is nc question that the
one great essential to healthy mouth is
cleanliness. In fact, few even of those
who pride themselves upon the care
which they bestOw upon their dental or
gans, give to them the attention which
their value would Justify.
MANY otherwise intelligent people fail
to appreciate the importance OF taking
, care of their t tn until compelled by
suffering to do so. Then, when the de-
mand has become urged. their chief
thought seems 10 be, not how 10 prevent
further schief and to retain what is
left, but how immediate relief can be Sc
cured, or else how painless extraction
can be effected 1t must not be forgotten
that decay is moi the only enemy OF the
teeth. The absorption of the gums and
sockets, caused by the presence Of tartar
is a liability which. though not absolute
ly confined TO teeth which are neglected,
is yet a danger specially threatening
such. This result might, in majority
of instances, be prevented by intelligent
! care-recession of the gums or absorp-
ton of the sockets rarely occurring in
4 mouths that are habitually kept pure.
"On the other hand, many scrupulous
J ly careful persons bring about the evil:
which they seek to avert by improper
methods and appliances. Much mischie
is wrought by the use of unsuitable
brushes and uniudicious brushes; by the
use Of tooth powders and mouth brusfie.
made in ignorance of the purposes 10 bt
subservcd. Patent nostrums and adver
Y tised powders and washes should b,
avoided. ANY wash that is recommend
:. ed for whiten ng the teeth is either in
capable OF accomplishing what is claim
s ed tor it, or does so at the expense of tn,
integrity of the enamel. Il is safe t
:, affirm that a large majority of person
err in the selection OF tooth brush
Many sets OF teeth have been ruined b.
iniudicious brushing. Skill and not force
faithfulness and net muscle, are required
TO secure the best results. The uppe
teeth should be brushed downward. Th'
use of quill toothpick or waxed fios
silk after meals TO dislodge particels o
l. food is advisable. Such is the care sug-
gested by the inestimable value OF tn
teeth, and by their increasing tendenc,
10 early decay. but such care can hardl.
be hoped for until the public realize tha
10 lose tooth is real misfortune. TO ex
tract one unnecessarily, crime.