Milford chronicle., 1919-08-01
TEETH AND HEALTH
By z. ALLEN GRIFFITH, D. D. S.
DISCOLORED TEETH

Teeth are never pure white. A ne
gros teeth look white because of the
contrast with his dark skin. Most
teeth are a blending of yellow and
blue. The enamel and dentine are
both semi-translucent, the dentine
carrying the underlying color. which
is more or less yellow.
/ Discoloration of teeth is usually
( due to deposits on the outer surface,
/ to filings or TO drugs used to treat
teeth. Deposits that form on the outer
surfaces of teeth are due to the forma-
ton of mucin placQues which become
stained by the food, tobacco. etc.
This class of stains is entirely due
to failure to keep the tooth surfaces
clean.
In certain sections of the country.
notably some places in Colorado. many
of the children have badly spotted and
discolored enamel. This is due to the
mineral content of the drinking water
1t has recently been found that such
spots" can largely be removed by
polishing the outer layer of enamel.
Causes for discoloration are many.
Where the nerve is removed from a
tooth the drugs used to sterilize the
root canal sometimes causes the tooth
to turn dark. Filings that leak and
some forms of amalgam (silver) and
some cements will sometimes cause a
darkened area around the margins of
the filings.
The latter discolorations should be
be carefully looked after If caused
by leaking filling the teeth should be
refilled at once.
Where the enamel is broken or worn
away so that the dentine is exposed
it is very easily discolored. When the I
front teeth erupt their cutting edges
have three clearly defined serrations
which wear away as the teeth are
used. This increases with age and
finally in many instances the enamel
is worn through. Discoloration then I
is easy Many tobacco users teeth /
finally become very dark, as the stain I
penetrates the tiny canals which rad /
late all through the dentine.
Pitted teeth are also source of dis (
colOration. Pits in the teeth are
due to childhood diseases such .
as measles or scarlet fever Yet the
teeth are not directly attacked by these
diseases, as some people suppose. We
dentists are frequently asked if the
pits are not produced on the teeth in
the same manner as they are in chick
enpOx. This is not true The pits are
a secondary result, due to the fact
that all the powers of the system are
in combating the disease
and its effects during the period when
the teeth are forming.
Sufficient nourishment often is not
taken into the system to fulfill all of
natures requirements during the per-
od of tooth formation. A lack of the
gitamines may also have something to
10 with the tooth malformation. These
pits are very unsightly and practically
impossible to keep clean, afford lodge
nent for the fermentation of food and
speed the formation Of tartar. This
Utmost always causes discoloration.
These pits may also cause the teeth
o be sensitive to heat and cold be-
,ause of their scanty enamel covering.
Pitted teeth decay rapidly because
hey afford lodging place for germs.
They are usually treated by filling.
which is necessary after decay starts.
Host of these cases, however, should
e treated by polishing, which prevents
ecay, removes and prevents a return |
f the discoloratiOn.
Modern dentistry does not fear dis
oloration as much as the older den
istry did. In analyzing its causes we
re perfecting preventive or curative
Methods. /