HINDU TEETH.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11581, 13 October 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

HINDU TEETH.

Pessimistic prophets declare that (the British Medical Journal sayf-) future generations of humanity will be toothle a s. There can certainly bo no doubt that civilisation has brought with it, from one cause or another, a great increase in dental troubles, and that tbe number of reople nowadays whose teeth are either lo=rt. or diseased at an early age is very large. To a great extent this must bo ascribed tonecrlect. Some observations on the teeth of the Hindus by Dr. Egbert, wheh aro interesting iv this connection are quoted in the British Journal of Dental Science. He pays that in his experience natives of nil ca»ts, from the Brahmin to the pariah, have nniforrually large, stroner and exceptionally w^l-developed teeth, with the third molars and lateral incisors developed proportionately to to the other teeth. In the hundreds of dentures which he has examined amoDg tbe Indian natives he has neTer seen a single malformed molar or lateral incisor, and thffin teeth are always present. The Indian people are remarkably exempt from caries, and do not often lose their teeth from this cause. Thfre can be little doubt that this immunity is largely due to the fact that careful and regular cleaning of the teeth i 3 a universal habit in India. It is strictly observed, heeiuse it is laid down as an important part of religious ritual. Very exact rules for its performance are given in the great book of Brahmia ritual, called " Nitia-Karma." To clean his teeth tbe Hindu -uses a small, twig, one end of which be softens out into the form of a painter's brush. Squatting on his heels, and always facing either oast or north, he scrubs all his teeth well with this brush, after which ho rinses his month out with fresh water. There is, indeed, much in tho personal hnbifs of the Ind.a races which might with advantage be imitated by Western peoples. The general neglect of tho teeth in this country is certainly depLrable. Even among tho richer classes it is quite un> common to meet with people who make a regular pratice of cleaning their teeth after each meal — a most desirable habit on hygienic grounds — and lnrge numbers of the lower orders never nao a tooth brush at all, The vegetable nature of tho Hindu's food probably has its influence in rendering them less prone to carie3 tbar. aro meat-eaterp, bnt thpre can he no doubt that they owe immunity from pain and ill-health to the salu-

tary habit' which tbeir religion has so wisely enjomed.