CARE OF THE TEETH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3778, 31 December 1907, Page 3

CARE OF THE TEETH.

The care of the teeth is a subject which is deserving of now and then being brought before our readers, because of the growing importance in the eyes of the medical world which the heauhv state of the mouth assumes in reference Id the preservation oi the general health. It has been well ascertained tbit a considerable amount of bodily disturbance is liable to be caused by a defective condition of the teeth, and we can well understand how this result should be produced. If the teeth are neglected, the mouth must form a regular hothouse or growing ground for germs of various kinds, amongst them some of which have the power of giving rise not merely to local inflammation of the mouth and affections of the gums, but which may also, under other circumstances, cause a general upset of the body through interfering with the digestion. It is also tolerably certain that cases related in nature to those which' receive the general name of blood poisoning also owe their origin in many cases to defective teeth, and to the poisoning process which arises from the conveyance of germs from the teeth to other parts of the body. The part played by defective teeth, in fact, in inducing disease is now very fully recognised by medical men, and forms another and very strong argument for the continual supervision of the teeth, and for the care of these very necessary aids to digestion. SOME HINTS. The teeth, should be regularly brushed morning and night, the night brushing being of the greater importance, seeing that it gets rid of the food debris which has accumulated during the day. The teeth should be brushed not merely crosswise, but in an up and down djffection. So as to remove the particles of ’food which may have lodged between them. It is recommended also by some authorities that a fairly thick cotton thread, which has been steeped in a weak solution of carbolic acid, [should be, occasionally passed up iand down between the teeth by Way of further removing any •germs between them. It should be understood that tooth powder is preferable to all other modes of cleansing the teeth. A mouth wash may certainly be used as a means of disinfecting the mouth, but care should be taken that no mouth wash is employed containing substances of a character, which, however pleasant to use, may tend in time itself to produce certain gum troubleand a 1 so by its action on the sense of taste weaken the sense A adapted to further ensure the cleanliness of the mouth parts is a common preparation made of honey, myrrh, ten drops of oil of winter green, two drachms of tincture of soap bark, and tincture of krameria up to two ounces. Half a teaspoonful of this mixture added to a wine glass of water, forms a very agreeable means of disinfecting the mouth.