Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1914-12-03
Copyright. 1914. by A. S. Gray)
SIGNIFICANCE OF DEcAYEp
TEETH.


mucous membrane. The first evi.
dence OF the development of the teeth
is to be found in thickening of the
mouth epithelium mucous mem
brane) at the site of the future gum
and resulting downward growth Of
its deeper portion into the substance
Of the primitive jaw. This epithelial
downward growth is continued along
the whole length of the gum and is
known as the dental lamina or tooth
band. The thickening of the epithe-
lium, which is the first sign Of the
future teeth, begins about the sixth
week OF foetal life, and the entire den
tai lamina, or tooth band. is completed
by the end Of the seventh week.
The development of all the tempo
rary and, with the exception OF the
eight back molars, also all of the
permanent teeth, commences at an
early period in intrauterine life.
The human animal is endowed with
twenty temporary or milk teeth which
appear In the following order: The
two lower central incisors erupt in
the sixth to the ninth month; about
two months later the two upper cen
trail incisors and two lateral incisors
appear; in about another two months
the two lower lateral incisors follow,
these to be followed in turn, In about
an equal period Of time, by the four
first molars; then after rest of about
four or five months the four CANNES
are very slowly erupted and finally
the milk dentition is closed at the end
OF about the second year after birth
by the eruption OF the four second
molars.
We have thirty-two permanent teeth
and the first OF these to erupt are the
four first molars, which appear during
or soon after the sixth year. These
first permanent teeth come out behind
the second milk molars without dis
placing any of the temporary teeth.
During the seventh year the central
milk incisors fall out and their place
Is taken by permanent ones, These
shed teeth are mere shells OF the
crown of the teeth, all the roots hav-
ing been absorbed. The lateral in
cisors succeed their milk predecessors
in about the eighth year; the first pre-
molars succeed the first milk molars
at about nine years: the second pre-
moiars will succeed the second milk
molars at about the tenth year; the
CANNES follow in the eleventh and the
second permanent molars come In be-
hind the first at about the twelfth
year, and finally the third molars, or
what are generally known as the wis
dom teeth, the foundations of which
We have noted we're laid in about the
fifth year of life, erupt somewhere be-
tween the eighteenth and twentieth
years.
Tooth enamel is formed chiefly Of
calcium phosphate, with small
amounts OF calcium carbonate, mag
nesium phosphate and calcium fluor-
ide. The dentine is of the same com
position as the enamel, but contains
in addition good deal OF organic mat
ter. Worldwide Investigations prove
that there is material difference in
the average quality of the teeth Of
primitive and civilized peoples. Unit
ed States senate document No. 419
states, for example, that "statistically
the teeth of Americans are ten times
as bad as those of the Igorrotes, while
the civilized Filipinos have teeth as
bad as those OF the Americans" and
for the purpose OF pointing out how
bad American teeth really are we
should repeat quotation from United
States bureau OF education bulletin
No. - thu. says: OF our 10000, egG
ehi:dsan enrolled, over 100000 $50
pei. cent. and in some schools as high
as ss per cent? have defective teeth,
which are potentially. If not actually,
detrimental to health"
1t is definitely proved that the belief
that certain foods nourish specific
parts or organs Of the body and that
by the use of these foods it Is posi-.
Bile to stimulate the growth or func.
tioning of certain organs is false.
There Is no such thing as a brain
food, or muscle food, or a bone food.
Fish. for instance, is commonly re-
puted to be brain food; but 1t is no
more a brain food than is beef, or
beans, or cabbage, and when fish 10
eaten the toe nails and the finger
nails, the hair and all other parts and
tissues of the body share in the result
ing nutritive matter In common witt
the brain, each part according to its
particular needs. Plants and animals
In general are made up out OF various
groupings of some sixteen or more ele.
ments, and so long as we eat these
plants and animals In reasonable guam.
tity and In their natural combinations
we thrive. Our digestive organs are
adapted to and therefore have the
power to select from these molecular
such elements as are
required and in the amounts necessary
10 construct and maintain our bodies
In normal health and to transform the
energy associated Herewith to our
physical needs. But when In the
course Of the preparation Of foodstuffs
constituent elements are for some rea.