OCR Text |
Show TOOTH FOOD AND THE CARE OF TEETw. i A recent woik on the teeth by a practical dedlist iusiita that the bulk of the teeth, the dentine, changes continually, requiring constant nutrition, nu-trition, tho aamo as any other part of the system, and therefore deteriorates when such nutrition is imperfect, as in the case when the food is deficient in phosphate of lime, as is shown in tne contrast between the teeth of Americans, particularly the city-b;ed, who use entirely fine wheat flour, which consisU principally ot starch, the bran coats of the wheat and the gluten containing nearly all the phosphates found in a kernel of the grain being rigidly excluded and the peasant classes ot Europe, who live upon bread made from the entire kernel of wheat, rye, or oates. This phosphate of lime cannot be introduced intro-duced into the system in its unor-gauiied unor-gauiied state, so as to be beneficial, as has been proved by repeated experiment, experi-ment, but must be vitalized iu the vegetable. Its lack cannot better bo made than by eating Graham bread, although by the use of other vegetables vegeta-bles rich in phosphates a person may safely eat white bread. A dish of oatmeal porridge, for instance, in the morning may answer the same purpose, pur-pose, but phosphate ol lime for tlie boucs as well as the teeth and phosphoric phos-phoric acid for the brain and nervous system, cannot be omitted from the food without serious detriment to the general health. There is a brand of Minnesota flour in the market, which contains in addition to the starch, the gluten cells of the wheat, without the bran coats, obtained through an improved im-proved method of bolting, which is us tine as white flour, only diflering Iroui it in being somewhat darker colored, and which meets all of the requirements of hygiene, and should be introduced into every family in the land, to be used every day, for at least two meals out of the threo. The importance of this may be realized, real-ized, when it is known that it is estimated by physicians that a mother weighing 140 pounds, who nurses her her child, must supply her own bones and teeth and those of her child with about eighty-seven grains uf phosphate of lime daily, sixty grains; of which go to supply waste, the other twenty-seven to build up the bones and teeth of the child. Phosphoric Phos-phoric acid must also be supplied iu large quantities, for the nutrition of the brain and nervous muscular system, sys-tem, and to supply their waste, the entire system languishing from it-j want, to which much of the lassitude and ill feelings of women, who are extravagantly given to the eating of trash, iu the way of cakes and pies, as well aa bread made from fine wheat flour, is due. Graham flour, upon analysis is shown to contain phosphates, in the enormous proportion propor-tion of fifteen to oue as compared with white flour. Soft teeth maj become hard by improved diet. Indeed their tendency is to grow harder with age; so that with proper care and attention during the early and more critical years, one may hope to retain his teeth to a good old age. One often hears the excuse offered for inaitenlion to the care of the teeth that the lower animals and savages have the best teeth in the world, without brushing. If we were also savnges and lived upon the food on which they live, the same might be true of us, but as such is not the case, we must counteract as far as possible the deleterious effects of our advanced civilization in diet, winch, lite all good things, brings in its train some evils. Brushing and using the toothpick are essential to prevent decay, de-cay, from the acidulatiou or putrefaction putre-faction of food feft on the teeth. Acids eat out the lime trom the teeth, leaving only the animal matter, mat-ter, which is soft and easily subject to disintegration. This softening usually occurs iu spots where food is most likely to lodge, and in decaying produces in turn further acidulatiou and decay, hence tho importance ol the removal of any such spjtd, a soon as they make "their appearance, and plugging, for which purpose gold is in every way best suited. Directions as to the care of children's child-ren's teeth are given at length, the importance of which escapes many mothers, who think the milk teeth not worth any trouble, but the effect of decaying teeth upon the general health, and upon the neighboring new permanent teeth, which make the appearance from time to time, from the seventh to the fourteenth year, when the last of milk teeth 1 fall away, and during which period they are subject to the acidulated saliva sal-iva coming from decayed teeth, is such as to demand careful attention to the temporary teeth, as well as the permanent, inline way of cleansing and filling. This acidulated saliva from decayed teeth, or a sour stomach in case of sickness, is one of the most fearful causes of the destruction of the teeth in general, which may be remedied in a measure by alkali washes, which neutralize the acid. The saliva in its natural and healthy state is a preservative, preser-vative, for the reason that it is itself slightly alkaline. A civilized man has use for- teeth much longer than either tlie lower animals or savages, the maximum age of the latter being but about forty-five years; and as he starts out with pooer ones in the first place, inherited through imperfect nutrition lor many generations, the importance of especial care iu keeping keep-ing them free from accumulations and consequent decay is manifest. Semiannual Semi-annual inspections by adeutUt should be the rule in every family, and it would be well if possible to introduce the Chinese plan with their physicians, physi-cians, who are paid so much a year, so long as they keep the lamily well, and receive nothing in caseofsiek ( ness. It would be au economy in the i long run, lor each lamily to pay a dentist a reasonable sum per year to keep tlie teeth of its individual members mem-bers in good condition, with the understanding that when toothache should supervene or filling bex)me necessary he should receive nothing. I Tiie author considers no disease a necessary cause for extraction of the teeth, but that they may be subjected to medical treatment, the same as any other part of the body, after which substitution of lust parts may be made, and so the natural teeth may be retained for a much longer period than has generally been thought possible. Even peroiatitia may been rid by internal remedies, the same as any other disease. The main point is to employ a really skillful skill-ful practitioner iu deutistiy, and not yield so important an interest into the bands of a tyro. Dise:ise of the teeth may not always yield to treatment, any more than uisease of the organs, but all such diseases are subject to cure, and no one should part with a tooth until every remedy has proved unavailing, 10 much belter in every wav are the natural to artificial teeth. |