THE TEETH AND THEIR CARE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIII, Issue II, 14 July 1894, Page 46

THE TEETH AND THEIR CARE.

• Why do not parents realize the importance of taking care of the teeth of children,’ said a dentist as he dismissed a little patient. * Now there’s a child who as long as she lives will have trouble with her teeth, and all because her parents were too indolent or ignorant to give her proper attention when her permanent set was forming. She cried when they wanted to do anything with them, and they let them alone. Five of her teeth are very seriously out of place, a sixth must be removed although perfectly sound, because it continually crowds against the tongue, and almost all of the others are in some way defective, and all on account of neglect. All through her life as child, girl and woman her teeth will be a source of expense. Naturally they are good, indeed of excellent quality, and a few hours’ work at the proper time would have prevented any trouble and might have insured her a good set of teeth until old a g e - ...

* It is one of the hardest things in the world to impress upon parents the necessity of proper care in matters of this sort. The poor little thing mustn’t be hurt at the moment, and, in consequence, is hurt all its life, not only in its physical nature but its pride and its pocket. * Dentists, all over the land, are making good incomes from the carelessness or stupidity of parents. They either cannot or will not see that certain things should be attended to at certain times. The use of the brush is too little insisted on, and from lack of realization of the necessity for it, powder or any antiseptic is rarely provided. * Sometimes children, in undue zeal for cleanliness, have resorted to rather curious means. One child, not long ago, was caught using sapolio to remove the black from her teeth. That she removed the enamel and made a big dentist’s bill imperative goes without saying. That it will cost her a new set of teeth is equally probable. All this might be avoided if proper attention were given to provide some reliable and agreeable powder for cleaning. •The average youngster is quite likely to think that merely the brush and cold water will not be sufficiently effective, indeed, in many cases it is not, and therefore something should be at hand more suitable than the article mentioned. At least twice a year a child should be taken

to a thoroughly competent, conscientious dentist, and the teeth should have a most thorough and exhaustive examination. Regard for the child’s caprice or feelings ought to be an entirely secondary matter in cases of this kind. * A lady who is remarkable for the regularity and beauty of her teeth told me the other day that she used to think it a great hardship when every day her aunt, who brought her up, called her to her side, looked at her teeth with the greatest care, inquired what attention she was giving them, and upon the slightest symptom of anything wrong took her to the dentist, regardless of protest or pleading. She was speaking of the wretched-looking teeth of many of the children of the present day, and finished by saying : “ I thought it was dreadfully hard to have my teeth examined so often, but there is nothing in my whole life for which I now feel so thankful. Mv aunt, though she appeared to me very severe, was so much wiser than I realised.” * There are many persons in the world who could, with good show of justice, very seriously blame their parents and guardians for neglect in matters of this sort. *lt might be well for them to see to it that a similar charge may not at some future time be laid at their door.’