The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-15
PRESERVATION or THE TEETH.
Practical Directions as TO Using and
Caring for Them.
Philadelphia Times.

1865
Those who possess good white teeth.
even and well kept. are compensated for
many irregular features they may have.
Good teeth are essential 10 both health and
beauty. Often cases OF Indigestion are due
TO nothing more than bad teeth. The teeth
and gums require unremitting attention.
Savages do not use the tooth brush. yet. as
a rule, they have good teeth and their
digestion is better than that OF civilized
people, for the simple reason that they eat
plain food and rarely get enough of IL to
Surfeit the system.
The greatest demand for the dentist
comes from those who claim TO be not only
civilized. but also highly enlightened. Be-
cause they use soft foods and hot foods.
which can be swallowed with little chew
ing, the teeth have relatively nothing 10 do.
An organism or any part of the human
mechanism that does not get a normal
amount of exercise Will develop imperfect
ly or fall prey TO disease. Thorough mas
tication helps 10 the cleanliness and benefit
of the teeth and gums. The use OF the
brush is always necessary, especially after
eating soft food, which sticks between the
teeth, causing fermentation and destroying
the dentine.
we have an example of what the habitual
use of soft food will do for the teeth in
the people OF Scotland. Until within the
last forty os fifty years these people lived
largely on oat cake meal. brown loaf and
other crusty breads, which called for thor
ough mastication, and so long as they
adhered TO this diet they had fine teeth.
But since they have adopted the diet Of
their nelghbOrS tnelr teeth nave become
defective and their general health likewise
has deteriorated. To preserve the teeth we
must give them plenty OF exercise. We
should not destroy the enamel by the use
of foods hat are extremely hot or extreme
ly cold OF by cracking the hulls of nuts or
other hard substance. We should avoid
medicines that corrode the teeth. Many
have lost their fine incisors and even the
molars by disregard of this rule. If soft
foods form part OF the dietary the teeth
should be brushed thoroughly after each
meal. not merely morning and night, as is
the custom of many.
To keep the gums firm and red frequent
friction with the brush is necessary. To be
sure OF a sweet and clean looking mouth
a mirror should be taken each day and with
a fine. hard tOOthpick every particle of food
should be removed from the roofs of the
teeth and the if1vTstices which brushing
alone sometimes viii not remove. IL the
gums are sensitive a piece of dentists floss
or silk thread can be drawn gently between
the teeth three or four times. If this and
the brushing is persisted in the teeth can
be preserved TO a good old age. Foreign
substances that have formed on the teeth
can be removed by powdered pumice stone
applied with the end OF a toothpick covered
with cloth, securing them TO the edges of
the gum, but not so as to destroy the enam-
Ell or make the gums bleed.
Pumice stone is used by all dentists for
cleansing, but il Is exceedingly gritty and
should be used only for that purpose and
not oftener than once in two or three
months. Dentifrices usually are powders
ana ISQulI6 n ldlll dllOUll VI 6lilNtlCcr
TO be OF service.
Peroxide Of hydrogen bleaches and
whitens yellow or discolored teeth. 1t Is
also an a%ntiseptic mouth wash. as also are
listerine or euthymol. Myrrh is beneficial
in hardening sensitive gums. The following
ormulas for quinine and Peruvian bark
powders are excellent tonics for the teeth:
The quinine-Precipitated chalk, one
pound: starch powder, one-half pound: orris
powder, one-half pound; sulphate of quiz
nine, one dram. Slit through muslin and
put in jars.
The Peruvian hark-Peruvian bark, one
quarter pound; bole ammonia, one-half
pound; orris powder. one-half pound; cas-
STA bark powder. one-quarter pound; pow
dered myrrh, onc-quarter pound; precipi-
tated chalk, one-quarter pound; otto of
cloves. one-eighth pound. Reduce 10 an
impalpable powder and sift thoroughly.
Charcoal and cuttleish bone powder are
good detergents. Rhatany bark and catechu
are useful astringents. The best powder
for daily use and which is simple is: Pre-
cipitated chalk, six ounces; cassia pow
der. one-half ounce; orris root, one ounce.
Sift and mix thoroughly and use with Q
| good, firm brush.