HEALTH AND THE TEETH.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 187, 30 June 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

HEALTH AND THE TEETH.

QUESTION OF HEALTH

NECESSITY FOR CARE AND CLEANLINESS. POWDERS AND WASHES. (By ".Madame X," in Sydney Sunday Times.) "Thosj cherries fairly do enclose Of Orient pearl a double row, Which, when her lovely laughter They look like rosebuds lili'd' with snow." -Allison.

To every woma.i sound, regular teeth are 'such an undeniable beauty and attraction, and such ; n obvious indication of health and personal s.eitlespeet, that it is more than probably that the lucky possessor ot them will do her best to preserve their attractiveness, for her, therefore, as also for her Less fortunate sister, a lew simple hints will be of no 1 ttle value in the acquisition and mainte.ianee or this necessary dental perfection.

In relation to Ucaltn, me uiuii. • « - of taking car.e of the teeth permits o: many extremes in respect of diet and the like, winch are generally aecipto'l as harmful in the ordinary course or events, and, a« a matter id iatt. tlio part teeth play in tlu> preborvatum ot hpnlth is reallv little iwdorstood hy Aw majority of women, many cl whom are unreasonably careless in this respect. When it is considered that the iiourisl.ni.Mit of the l.ody u.rge|y depends upon the inastuatioii and d.gestion oi food, and thai it is llio jllice of the tivtli to assist in performing this duty, it will at on.o lie a|)|)areiit that the machinery aocov-iry for the purpo *) must at all times I:-.' kept in per.c <- working order. I'he real I unction .: thr teeth is to grind mitl .'aiM' a low of saliva to nikx with the lood, thus preparing it for the enduing digestion 1,,- the stomach. Krom this digestion, or tin- lack of it. sp'ing d ceases • I pvcrv kind, while many ailments ascribed to otlier causes are ficqiieiitly associated with induction in f-oni-forn, ,„• auothor. the whole being indirectly attrihutah'e to an impede t food mastication a- the result <if defective teeth. The neee.-.-ity 'or regular attention cannot therefore he mildly overlooked, and c\ -V .(.oil should '" made lo arrest and proven I decay at the earliest stage. caiik (T tiik tke'i it. linsofar as the ordinary (are of the teeth is concerned, the method is sim-

plic-ity itself, consisting, .is it does, merely of constant cleansing aad regular visits to the dentist. A good dentifrice of an antiseptic nature is acquired, and the chief tiling to guard against in selecting tb? latter is a paste or powder that, while t whitens the teeth, docs so only at ilie expense of ruining the delicate cnamol tint covers them. Keeping the a'.ove lads in mind, the teeth should lis cleaned after every meal, a thing which is nearly always possible, and which yields such splendid results with but little cost in time and labour. A similar routine should also bo enforced oofore retiring at night so that no minuto particles of food will ba loft to assi;t

ill promoting a rapid decay, the consequence of which are irretrievable. The necessity of Ike latter precaution is explained by the tact that while we sleep Nature works, and rapidly sets i p the fermentation of any foreign matter deposited i« th.o interstices or crevices of the teeth by means of the heat and acid secretions of ir.c month. In such agreeable surroundings it s but natiir.il to expect the associated bacteria to thrive and multiply until checked. TOOTH POWDERS AN!) WASHES. Pure camphorated chalk is really excellent for the teeth, as it invariably keeps them beautifully whit,' 1 , while at the same time acting as an antisepti-: i cleanser for the mouth jtseif. ShoulJ a different powder be preferred, tin . following can be recommended as an efficient substitute: Powdered curd i soap, 1 drachm; powdered orris root, ' 1 drachm; oil of peppermint, ~> drops; ! precipitated chalk to 2oz. ! The above powder is suitable for -11 general purposes, but for these women who are so unfortunate as to suffer with : tender and soft gums an alkaline pow- , d<er is perhaps more suitable, the toli lowing being frequently employed tor . this reason: Carbouate of magnesia, : loz; ml of peppermint, 4 d-ops; precipitated chalk to 2oz. .Mouth washes, though they have no direct action on the te.eth, are ... ; value from the fact thai they between the teeth as well es throng-l-out the entire cavity oi the mouth. | The simplest thing that run be used n this way is bicarbonate ol soda, a ' litt'e being dissolved in a wineglassfui of water, and employed as a mouth u-asli after the teeth have been brushed with one of the above powders. The following (diluted with just enough water to prevent s.i artmg :i the mouth) is also of val ie m tins respect although obvious!,- more ex pensive' than the foregoing: Ol.wer.M of horic acid, tincture oi krani. ria. eau-de-('ologne. spirit of chloroform, ol each I''/., i-,t;lied to Soz. AUTII'ICTAT. TKKII. Wearers ~f faKe teeth are imwa.la - ,vell served by dcnl : ■■! the o si oiild not be air. .••' ■> ■ have';. I, ~ih reaiovi d when tl : moval 's , considcied advisable. Ye", howevr v.r!| th-v are n:ad<'. ami bowev. r ,-aivliiltv tl.iv may he liiled, ' dse teef.i sometimes render lb • gum ■ and paia •• tender, and lor this (< i t'tion ihe -hove ;.iti..n v, ill be found i' great servi.( . While on the subject it should l„, n enliolli d that W. at". - of false teeth g< iieralh err in the Ulicf tin'

their artificial set requires but little attention in comparison wi:h tlie iorm.T natural teeth, and the error is especially to be regretted in the case where false have been placed between natural teeth, as the latter will suffer increased disadvantages in mkli an arrangement.. The fact remains that false teeth are certainly not to be -c----coinmended in cases where the teeth are merely discoloured or badly t-et >'-, the month, while at the same time they are often a great improvement to many women whose mouths have lieen neglected in childhood. Piscolourol teeth, of course, need only be scaled. the process being a simple one, in which all the unsightly tartar is removed.

Bleaching with peroxide of hydrogen, applied by means of cotton wool, will remove bad stains on the teeth very satisfactorily, and if this bleach is applied for a few second every day the pearly whiteness of the teeth will soon be restored.