Evening journal., 1912-11-19
.ITrnnFCE DnnT
LEUUNEUL NUuA
WILLSAvETEETH
Children Should be Taught to
Chew it, Says DR..
Roberts
BENEFICIAL BOTH TO
JAWS AND GLANDS

NEW YORK, Nov l9.-Dr Norman
Roberts. a physician of Washington,
d. G. i'm an article on "The Proserva-
ton OF the Teeth, contributed to
American Medicine. offers "A sugses-
tion to the public which he believes,
If acted upon. win do much not only
TO preserve but to strengthen the
teeth. Tie proposes that everybody
chew licorice root, after meals for
preference but several hours a day
if they desire
ne says this is better than the gum
habit because chewing of licorice
root is Of real benefit in more ways
than ono In addition to helping the
teeth ID is valuable aid TO Digestion;
moreover he thinks licorice root
might easily be substituted for chow
ing tobacco Here ave some OF his
observations ON the subject.
Clean toCth arc. OF course. not so
apt TO decay as dirty ones; but strong
teeth can hardly he made 90 decay
a strong statement but amply iust-
fed TO prevent decay by cleanliness
alone the mouth would have TO bo
kept constantly antisoptic. practical
impossibiliJy, bat strength can be sc-
cured with certainty if systematically
worked for from childhood up The
obvious way to secure strength is by
physiologic use, e., by chewing
something With adequate resistance
and with sufficient taste to stimulate
The impulse 10 chow
The enormous consumption of gum
shows the nstlnctivcly fclt need of
civilized humanity for more chewing.
hut gum lacks rcsistancc what is
needed is something like nbrous
root containing. and when chcNcd
slowly. yielding a nourishing and
asrccaly tasting saliyafy extract
preferably containing much carho-
hvdrate for the reason that carlo
hNdrate more effectively than any
thine else physiologically stimulates
tho flow of the saliva and the impulse
TO prolonged masticationl
The structure of the human tooth.
and the l,nnNn manner of life ana
many primitive peoples, shows that
human teccth were evolved mainly for
Just such use, hence they are best
TO bc kept In condition by such use.
rather than Though not at an TO lht
exclusion on such artificial measures
AS oral nsepsis
Moreover such natural use OF tho
mouth with the resulting long -con-
'inuod flow of alkaline salval is far
more efficient In reducing the num-
hors and Nirulencc OF tooth-dos.roy-
ing bacteria than any practical sys-
tenn of artificial oral ascpsis. and tho
slight but sufficient individual motion
of Che teeth during vigorous and pro-
longcd masication is IN tho long run
FAR moro effective and loss damaeinr
than silk or toolhpick in dislodglnf
iefmcnting material from hetweer
the teeth although. of course arh-
iicial aids are moi 10 be despircd
when especially indicated
"A familiar substance that meets
the requirements of proper consist
ency and moral physiological stlm-
ulation is licorice root A sot of fair
81 strong teeth can safely break OFT
the sticks into the proper lengths
laboul an inchl and soon reduce
them 10 nbrous coherent nuln.
Which on continued chewing yields
the carbohydrate glycyrrhiziu and
other agrecablv Favored oxtractivcs
during 40 or 20 minutes moderate
chewing. If The teeth are too weak
to break up the stick 30 may be taken
IN safer 'fne-cut' mot ground com
diton. which may De chower as vig-
orousiY or as gingcrly as desired
The best way 20 use lcorice for
tins purpose seems 20 be 10 chew a
comfortable mouthful Swallowing
The saliva. Of courscl until the sweet
taste is replaced by slight astrin-
ecncy and .he pulp begins 10 dsin-
tcgratc and irrtato the nharynx. One
or two hclpings after oach meal Is
sufficient. but no harm is known 10
result from kepping mp for several
hours day, although. of course. tho
slli'ary glands may be depleted
more or less 70 there is no intermis-
fion before meals
lho habit mav with great adyan-
iage be substituted for the use of to-
hacco: ii IS beneficial instead of
harmful 81 gives one something Ia
do while doing nothing Il docs not
interfere Win most kinds of work
anC it molests no one except a few
selfish and supersensitive souls who
are ifritatod at the sight of others
quietly enjoying themselves. Th,
main drawback TO it's extended use
by large numbers OF people seems lC
be thar it is largely controlled hy q
soullcss trust which mixes it'll,
good TOO. with great deal of bad
and who would probably boost th,
price out of sight If the demand wer,
much Increased