Care of the Teeth.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 64

Care of the Teeth.

Ella Adelia Fletcher gives ax her eason for her statement that America has the finest dentist 3in the world, thai " ite people, through fondness for unhygienic foods, have furnished them with an exhau^tless field fo-r practice and experiment. One need look nc further than to the prevalent use of fine white flour for jhe cause of 'she enormous practice dentists find in jhis country, and foi the .suffering from facial neuralgia which afflict j, even the young: —

" Some years ago a well-known New York dentist said: 'If gluten flour was generally uaed in place of fine flours in -the rearing of children, or fov the food of adults, I think many of jhe doctors ane 1 lenfcists would bo obliged to seek other fields of labour. I speak from knowledge, my own vitality and endurance having been doubled whilst using at.'

" While it is common to compare beautiful teeth to pearls, their greatest beauty and the colour which denotes strength and durability lie in a hut between that of pearls and ivory. The form of the teeth, which for perfection should be neither ehort nor long, but a happy medium, is subject to many hazards in childhood, Hence the need of the mother's watchful care Few realise that the first, or temporary, teeth, 20 in number, should receive a 9 much care a^ tho permanent ones, whose health is jeopardised by the decay or loso of the first. When these decay nature refuset to absorb the impure substa/nce, so Uiese disease-breeders stay in the jaw, obstructing the permanent teeth, which are forced out crookedly. The whole bony structure in childhood cries out lor bone-making foods. When the diet. is deficient in these it is easily deteoted in the frail nature of the teeth, and, besides substituting gluten xnd Whole-wheat breads and the malted cereals foi cakes, white bread and sweets, syrup of lscto-phosphate of lime or simple lime-water should be given

" Adult care cannot atone for early neglect. Yet, though it is impo'sible to change the external structure of the teeth, so long as their nerves are unimpaired they can be supplied with the lime-salts wnich strengthen and harden the dentine.

"To sweeten the breath, as well is to strengthen the a tablespoonful of lime water in a glast. of milk jr water is efficacious. Should th: teeth be soft and sensitive from deficiency of minoral salts or from the action of acicts, either from the food, medicines, or disordered secretions, p larger dose can be taken to advantage. Even two or three tablespoonfuls are not unpleasant; the addition of lime water to milk will make it a pleasant and easilydigested beverage for many who cannot drink milk ir its natural state:

" Sometimes, usually through eating such acid fruits as strawberries, strong teeth are temporarily rendered ensitive. Ringing the mouth with iinv water will help to counteract this; and it is more efficacions to gßSljU^i&tatsdjghj,]! freely iflund it© geeks

of the teeth and between, them. This should bo done just before retiring, so that the chalk may have the whole night in which to do its beneficaent work. Upon the first hint of the presence of acid impairing the soundness of the teeth the chalk treatment- should be given. The presence of aoids is detected through the sudden -sensitiveness of the teeth when they are brushed. An infallible test is to touch the tip of the nail to the tooth's neck at "the line of contact with the giun. If this causes pain apply the chalk immediately."