CULT OF BEAUTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 192, 15 August 1931, Page 15 (Supplement)

CULT OF BEAUTY

GOOD HEALTH DEPENDS ON CAKE OF THE TEETH. Take care of your teeth! They are worth more than jewels. The teeth are really a part of your skin, just as your hair and nails are a part of your true skin, too. Each tooth consists of three tissues. First, there is the enamel which covers the crown of the tooth. This enamel is like glass; it crumbles away if the tooth underneath it is soft or decayed. Remember, always, that enamel never “grows again/’ Underneath the enamel is the second substance, the dentine, which forms the essential substance of the tooth. The root, or fang, as it is sometimes called/ is the third tissue. If your enamel is gone, your tooth is in a pretty bad way, but, while you cannot replace the enamel, a diet that is low in ! ime may cause the teeth to soften, while a diet rich in mineral matter —vegetables, fruit —a good balanced diet will prove helpful to the enamel. As long as the enamel of your teeth is in good condition you need not worry about the dentine. You should not allow your teeth to decay enough to know much about the “nerve.” It is at its best when safely covered with dentine I and enamel. ’ The First Thing to Know About Teeth. The first thing to know about teeth is how to take care of them. The whole secret of this may be told in three words —keep them clean. A clean tooth cannot decay.The commonest disease of teeth is decay. The reason that teeth decay is that food particles stay in the mouth and around the teeth. These particles ferment, the fermentation causes an acid to generate, and this acid causes decay. Some mouths, of course, generate acids, even when they are kept clean. Usually, however, the acid is caused by the fermentation of the food that stays in the mouth. The thing that we dread most —toothache—is not a disease at all. It is a symptom of disease, usually of decay, or of an abscess. Abcesses and decay are caused by neglect. Their pain is in proportion to their seriousness and may depend, too, on the general health. Concerning Dentifrices. Be careful in your choice of a dentifrice. All dentifrices are not good. Some contain too much grit and actually scratch the enamel. Any good dentist will tell you that he has had cases where the enamel was ruined by a gritty dentifrice. The best way is to use several different kinds, using one each day. In that way you will get the benefit of all of them. Stop using a dentifrice if you find it gritty. Do not use too much dentifrice. That is almost as harmful as none at all. The best way to take care of the teeth is to wash them carefully and thoroughly three times a day. Some people neglect this washing. Others wash their teeth so hurriedly that little good is accomplished. You should have two toothbrushes, using these alternately. And, from time to time, give them a good soaking in ammoniated water, rinsing them afterwards. Brushes should hang in the air during the day, so that they are thoroughly ventilated. Brush the teeth briskly and thoroughly. But before brushing your teeth it’s a good plan to take an orange stick and go round the base of the teeth, after which, take the same orange stick and wrap around it cotton wool, dip the same in some good antiseptic, and repeat the operation. Then wash your teeth and brush them thoroughly. Take several minutes for brushing. Once a day use a bit of castile soap or a bit of French chalk. After each meal, when you are alone, use a toothpick, or a bit of dental floss. A toothpick has its uses, and dental floss is excellent for removing bits of food from between the teeth. If Your Gums Bleed. If your gums bleed or are tender or spongy, it is quite likely that if you don’t take care pyorrhea will get you. There are several excellent washes and powders.