Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-06-06
What Are Teeth? Title
Winning Paper
Kent County Boys Essay On
Care Of Teeth Reprinted
Below.

Recently the Eastern Shore Dental
Association, offered a prize to thai
student of the Worcester county high
schools who should present the best
essay on the care of the teeth. A
similar prize was given to every coun.
ty, the winner in Worcester being
Miss Powell, of Berlin.
Thinking that the efforts in other
counties might be interesting to the
contestants in Worcester, the Demo
crat prints the winning essay in Kent,
submitted by Francis Wilson of the
Hall, High School. His essay was as
follows:
"What are teeth" They are the
hard dense structures of epidermal
organs which fit into the jaw bone
much like a peg into socket.
A tooth is usually described as con-
sisting of three parts-the crown,
neck and root-and is composed of
three hard substances, the dentinc,
enamel, and cementum ard a central
pulp cavity. The tooth does not,
however occupy the entire socket,
for there is besides lining of perios-
teum, which at the root turns upward
around the tooth as far as the neck,
where it becomes continuous with the
gums. The packing around the tooth
is somewhat elastic and allows of
slight motion. The elasticity of the
packing doubtless diminishes the
shock which would be caused in mas
tication were the teeth rigidly attach
ed in their long sockets. When the
periosteum is infamed the swelling
pushes the tooth outward in the sock
ct and loosens it. The enamel en-
velopes the entire crown of the tooth
and stops rather abruptly at or about
the level of the gum.
We should take the best care of
our teeth. Some people say there is
no use caring for your first teeth, be-
cause you lose them anyway, but if
your first teeth are allowed to decay
they will affect your gums and jaw
bone. Diseased teeth are the causes
of bad breath and poor health. We
should have our teeth examined by
the dentist twice a year, and if any
teeth are affected it is best to have
them cared for right away. However,
there are certain things which we
should do to prevent tooth decay. We
should brust our teeth after every
meal.
We should consult someone who
knows about what kind of brush, pow
der or paste to use to clean our teeth.
The teeth should be brushed verti-
cally and with some vigor, and we
should not be afraid of touching our
gums. If we brush our gums this
opens up the pores. Neglect of the
teeth in early life usually means an
infected mouth and abcesses at the
roots of the teeth which unless cared
for, persist in later life. Such abces-
ses may act as reservoirs of infecti-
Gus material which may enter the
blood stream and be carried to the
remote parts of the body, frequently
causing rheumatism, heart disease,
kidney trouble, and many other all
ments which may materially shorten
life. DR.. Henry A. Cotton, Director
Of the New Jersey State Hospital for
the Insane, says teeth are a chronic
cause of this dread affection. The
time to fight tooth trouble is before
it starts. Don't wait until unhealthy
conditions become too far advanced.
1t is just as necessary to care for the
gums as to care for the teeth. You
should brush your gums when you
brush your teeth. This kind of care
will make the gums firm and healthy,
with circulation of rich red blood
within their walls. We should eat
hard foods as we'll as soft, because the
soft food gives your gums and teeth
no stimulation, no exercise, no life.
For the sake of health and beauty
remove causes of tooth decay"