OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 163, 30 March 1918, Page 2

OUR BABIES

[BY HTGEU.I Published undor the ausplcee of the Royal Sew Zealand Society for the Jfcalth of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put un a fence at the top of a precipicb than to maintain an i ambulance at the bottom." I OOOD TEETII.-(Oontimied.) Last week we made some extracts from a booklet—"Good Teeth: How they (.irow and How to Keep Them"—which is pub- ! llshecl in America. We are continuing the ' extracts this week, It iB a pity we can- ; not reproduce the illustrations in thin colj uron; but. the main points mentioned arn I illustrated in the society's book "The Story of the Teeth" (Whitcombe and I Tombs). i "THE PEARLS OP THE MOUTH." ! I/ike a pearl, a tooth is composed of I several layers of substance, one luyer withj in the other. If you wore to cut a tooth I in two, you would eee that it ie made ot: j (1) Enamel, covering the crown of : tho ijootli. Enamol is the hardest- ' substance in the human body, j (2) Cementum, covering the root. I (3) Dentine, covering and protecting I the pulp chamber, and forming the main body of the tooth. Not as hard ! as enamel. H) The milp chamber, which contains the dental pulp, an organ composed of highly sensitive nerves and blood vesj sels imbedded in a soft nulp-liko tissue. ' When the first or Temporary Teeth Appear. The central incisors—from five to eight months after birth. Tho lateral incieorefrom seven to ten months after birth. Tho cuspidß leyo teeth and etoniach teeth) from 14 to 20 mouths after birth. The second molars—from 20-32 months after birth. 1 .The Second Teeth. The following table gives a fairly correct idea of the time and tho order in which the permanent teeth take their places;— First molare .... 5 years of age to 7 Central incisors ... 6J „ 8 Lateral incisors ... 7 „ 9 First bicuspids 9 „ 11 Second bicuspids ... 10 „ 12 Cuspids 11 „"' 14 Second molars 11J „ 13 Third molars 16 „ 21 or any later period. Mouth Hygiene for Mothers. Whether or not her child, has a good set I of teeth in later life rests largely with J the mother. Few mothers realise the dangers of the habit which most children are likely to acquire unless it is prevented of sucking the thumb or fingere. This tends to force out the upper front teeth and push back the lower front teeth. The result is a deformed jaw. The teeth come in irregularly, and the proper development of the skull is interfered with. In many cases retarded mental development has been shown to be due to deformed jaws caused by thumb-sunliing. Lip-sucking is dangerous for tho eame reasons. Don't Neglect tho Child's First Teeth. Just because the front, teeth are temporary do not euppoee that they may safely be neglected. They form the seaholdinsr of tho dental arch, and should be kept in tbe mouth as long as Nature intended them to remain there. If they are allowed to.decay so that they niuat be pulled out before their time, the jaw fails to expand properly, and the second teeth will be crowded and irregular. Bend the child to the dentiet once every eix months, beginning with his third birthday. Tho dentist is then able to lay tho foundation for a good set of permanent teeth. Remember that children whose teeth are looked after are for less liable to contraot children's diseases. Tho First, Permanent Molars. These are the largest ami most important teeth in the mouth, and also, unfortunately, the most neglected. It cannot bo emphasised too strongly thnt their preservation in good condition is of the greatest, importance if the child is to have a healthy set of teeth in later life. Because of their early appearance (between the fifth »nd sixth year) they are frequently mistaken for temporary teeth and permitted to decay, duo to the {aJBO notion that the temporary teeth need no attention. Tho influonce ciorted by the flmt permanent molar in securing a regular arrangement of the permanent set of tcera is so groat that dentists speak o£ this tooth as the "keystone of the dental arch,' If tho first permanent molar is lost, or if from any cause it doee not erupt in.its natural position, the whole dental arrangement becomes ceriously distorted. Tha teeth behind it tip forward so that they are of little nee in mastication, while tho teeth in front move in and back, causing , a deformity of the opposing set of teeth and changing the contour of the face. During tho change from temporary to permanent teeth, these first molars, are, for a) considerable period, the Bole reHanco for chewing. Ifencc children whose first permanent molars have been neglected until they are hadly-decayed usually have |>ad digestion, headache, and nervousness, due to imperfect mastication. Teaching the Ohild to Brush Hie Teeth. Little children Bhould bo taught the use of a small toothbrush a 6 eoon as they begin to imitate and "do thinge for thornselves." A good way to get the child to remember is to mako it a rule that he brush hi 3 teeth before talring off his shoes at night, and iunt before putting: them on in tho morning. Many mothcre mako their children form the habit of brushing their teeth after every meal No more Important habit can bo taught, and remember, it can bo taught beet durinz childhood. , The Toothbrush an! Hrnv to TTeo It. Most tooth-brushing is perfunctory and largely falU to accomplish its purposo, which iB to remove tho food deposits from all the crevices of the teeth and corners of tho raoutn. _ It is safe to say that from three to five mimites aro required to accomplish anything like a thorough c'eansing of tho teeth. At least this time Bhould be spent after each meal, and at night before retiring. Tho night cleansing ib most imDortant, becanßo during tho night loot) particles are undisturbed by tho action of the cheek, tongue, and saliva, and Berlin nave a chance to set up their destructive work of fermentation and acid formation. What is the beat form of toothbrush and the beet way to use it is stiU a matter of debate anions dentists and healtli ai). thorities. All agree, however, that tho toothbrush should bo email enough so I that it can bo readily Inserted between the cheek and tho ,juniß, and reaeh easily 1 to tie bock surfaces of the molars Trtjcro food deposits aro most likely to accumulate a The 9 toothbrush should never be drawn straight across tho teeth. Crosswise brushing causes the gums to recede; and. will wear grooves in tho teetn. The proper method is to brush from me eums towardß the cutting edges of the teeth, with a slight, circular motion, lnc gums the back of the tongue and the lininir membrane of the whole mouth should also be brushed, ns thiß tends to improve the circulation of the blood, removes adherent irerms and render! the eums firm and healthy. After each brushing the mouth rtiould be thowmirMy linked , with lukewarm water Water dissolve? or dislodges most, of tho food deposits, and if Hi; nresstire of the tonjruc laid cheeks is used tvclrrulate the water to overy corner of the mouth + .hi« will he found to be ,1 valuable uid in kerniinp the mouth clean ana nrpvon'inp tooth decay. ' The loo+hbnish should be weaned frequently and sterilised in very hot water.