The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 16, 1904, Page 11

THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. with , the father with this the sooner teeth the ts of im- nperfect di- s brings about health what life? Does it parent of to- teeth the sturdy, rrow? By en to the children public opinion later give an ac- Is there a down her r in What mother the distress of ew how? The who makes a things she has life and such z - s knows as well what time of sickness as r e shut-off is located r pipe bursts in the and negle ust grapple problem, and ut good the effe light the gas her notebook, is no vari- ou down the r hich have stood the ays know the norrhage np The parent i against the premature »y teeth 2nd a permanent r be sacrificed savi or teeth of t d in great me: nliness, indifference baby tecth, overin- ets and the lack of d in many cases to the 1 to hich are tak- the w ned system and allowed act upon the teeth by coming in contact with them. The youngster of to-day. and the mother, too, who knows how to brush the teeth, is a rarity. The brush i primar: > constructed as to conform to the gen- eral contour of the teeth and arch. The prophylactic—a brush made in adults’ and ch s sizes, will be found very satisfactory, as reac € into the spaces between the teeth and cleans where decay gene y starts. Adults should use a medium stiff brush, the child a soft one. Brush the teeth after meals and always before retir- ing at night. Decay works while we sleep. Rotate the brush in the hand so as to clean between the teeth, using care to always brush away from the gums and toward the cutting edges of the teeth. With mouth open brush across the grinding surfaces, cleaning thoroughly one set at a time. It is wise to avoid brushing the gums at all and use care not to force them away from the teeth, thereby exposing the roots and permitting decay to gain a hold in these softer structures. An alkaline tooth powder or peste must be used and one free from gritting particles likely to scragch the enamel. Common prepared chalk makes an acceptable tooth powder and is used upon @ moist brush. Rinsing the mouth with salt water hardens the gums and also has an antiseptic ac- ydrogen or py nt for mo -thymoline has d efficient mout nalin to a ious vash. sufficient « ! parts of tie > the throat by Use red litmus paper to test the of the mouth, because upon the al of the sal depends of the ed litmus pa t e blue litmus saliva is 1f the sal- ted if tk should be e litmus member, red is a danger signal he case calls for alkaline w treatment Milk of magnesia with before retiring and allowe main upon id gums will counteract great extent the acid conditions. Chalk painted upon the teeth before retiring has a similar ac- tion. Healthy gums can be brought about by removing tartar and other irritants ging the gums with . stimulates the cireu k of which is one of the ting causes of disease. It is highly important to keep the tongue thoroughly ~ clean and a celluloid scraper will keep that organ in per- fect- condition. The infant’s teeth must be cleaned by mother or nurse d powdered chalk upon a soft cloth camel's hair brush, together with ittle gargles of dilute peroxide of hy- drogen or glyco-thymoline, will keep h and teeth sweet and clean. The mother who neglects the eyes and ears of her children and mits the dirt 1d meet with the every other moth- hidden sin of the neglected s to rest lightly on mar shoulder. Young minds are most succeptible teaching which a growing child nbibes stitks fast in his memory v eagerly the little one instinctively to imitate you in everything, even n the art of brushing the teeth. By encouraging this tendency the child will not have the popular aversion to the tooth brush and in time will find it mighti 1 the dentist. By twist- ing a wisp of cotton about the end of a wooden toothpick one can make a very serviceable instrument for home use and so _inexpensive as to be used but once. The green stains so common to children’s teeth can be removed readily by applying tincture of fodine to the tooth with our handy dauber and afterward gently polishing the tooth with moist prepared chalk. Stains also can be removed by peroxide of hydrogen and followed as usual by the chalk. By using care not to swallow any of the jodine or to use it so strong as to burn the gums—the child him- self may take pleasure in cleaning his own teeth. The baby teeth appear about the sixth month and at about the second VTN G zvvE SILE AErWEEA ru= TEE A BY. LR - NALALKWAM ANERRILL TRYON" all are in place. As the very first tooth does not arrive until and then does not sup- tooth, it is highlv im- plant any othe portant to retatn all of the first teeth in a healthy condition as long as pos- sible ] igned the infant teeth masticating organs from nonth until the seventh or r at least, and how far from ideal is the baby mouth five £ his teeth' gone o worse still only mass of broken, decayed or abscessed stumps gemaining to mar and make hideous the baby face. Is it ¥y wonder children die by tie n of septic poisoning when the pus-generating ‘roots are pouri their vile streams into the lit- tle one stomach night and dayv?. Is it any mystery why our children are so weak and anemic when it is often a physical impossibil for them to their r teeth? / want them to be strong we should guard the aliment e do his eyes. Just as s are the windows of the soul are the teeth the wateh dog of the stomach, to pass upon ev- erything which seeks to enter their do main and allow nothing to p unless in due form properly masticated. Though the baby teeth are small and they can be cleaned, filled, kept and perform their funetion adinirably until the advent of their more robust and aggressive rivals. About the seventh year the front teeth give way to the permanent in- the baby molars retire very sly in favor of the newcomers— food properly because of we love our children body in sts of as W much a FZOSS the bicpspids. The cuspid, the keystons of the arch, comes into its place about the eleventh year, and the twelfth year molar completes the permanent set. The masterplece can now be consid- ered complete because the wisdom teeth arrive between the ages of six- teen and sixty or not at all. However, where practicable it is advisable to retain the wisdoms for such emergen- cles as bridge or crown work may de- . or cLoves AN ACHLING - Foo e . mand. They are of soft structure and if neglected may become prolific sources of trouble. Baby teeth must be avoid- ed in the adult as their days are num- bered. Many specialists contend the reckless care given the child's teeth is responsible for the puny, anemic child- ren so plentiful to-day. What a com- fort it would be to the infant to have a clean, sterilized teething ring with which to relieve his aching gums by pressure! ‘What painless = relief the dentist and his sharp lancet can afford by loosening the leather like gum over the path of the coming tooth and al- lowing it to come into its place unim- peded! As soon as the baby teeth are fully erupted, they should be cleaned, watched, and upon the first intimation of discomfort the dentist should be consulted. A cavity nipped in the bud is time and money saved, nervous vi- tality conserved, and above all, the teeth are preserved. Let us not forget that while the teeth are the hardest tissues of the body, they are most sub- Jject to disease, and while Nature will heal a wound, she can never repair a decayed tooth. Indigestion, extreme nervousness, ir- ritability of temper and general ill health will follow in the footsteps of a decayed tooth. About the sixth year, the child’s food should be gradually changed to -the coarser and more_ resisting ones, be- cause there can be no development without an adequate blood supply and this cannot be secured without proper exercise. Just as the muscles of. the body must be kept in a healthy condi- FPIAENTS © Cil % tion by use, so the coarser and the drier the meal orous the jaw musc become and the stronger the teeth. The more we mas- ticate our food and the greater force needed to do so the more blood will be called into circulation and the more active the action of the salivary and mucous glands. The present day habit of “buck passing” is taught us in childhood. As the child ‘with bad teeth must of necessity bolt his food, the mouth. calmly “passes the buck” to the stomach and that patient subservient menial stands the indignities until pa- tience ceases to be a virtue and we find a full fledged dyspeptic on our hands. Metal filling such as gold and silver should only be placed in permanent teeth, the gutta percha and cement or bone being preferable fillings for baby teeth. . Failure in most dental operations is due to lack of oral cleanliness, and while a person may expend a fortune upon his dental work, this simple neglect brings it all to naught. Gum chewing, which is so injurious and cannot be too se- verely condemned as a pastime—is really beneficial if indulged in for not ore than fifteen minutes after meals. Ragged edges of teeth or fillings irri- tate the gums, cheeks and tongue and such dangerous nuisances should be abated. As a clean tooth cannot de- cay, we can see how imperative it be- comes that the tartar should be re- moved which deposits so insidiously upon the necks of the teeth. The lower front teeth, especially, are the victtims of 'its ravages, causing loosened teeth and pus-forming sockets. It is sur- prising the number of diseases of eye, ear, nose and throat caused directly or indirectly by decayed teeth. While the parent should guard against the child hearing and believing the exag- gerated stories of untold agonies to be endured in the dental chair, the dentist himself owes much consideration to the child.. A cold-blooded or undiplomatic practitioner may by his manner em- the food, the more vig- LHOTOS BY STANFORD STU2IO pnasize all tne terrible mental pictures whick the child has conjured up abo this ancient foe of the st and foremost his very pffice fur- nishings should the patient wel- Carpets, furniture, hangings and wall decorations all should make their first ression fayorable. Rather a table groaning under its load of literature and comic papers e empty and bare. Rather 1s than a paucity of com- Let all things conspire to : sufferer the “glad hand.” Then the dentist, immaculate and inviting, h, asy sailing. The moment he has s won. His diplomacy ard the child has made a lifelong friend, a trustful patient and a walking advert nt. Simply because “he is so different.” No home in this day and age can e any pratense toward complete- unless the washroom has its medi- cine case or shelf. There, high up and out of reaci of baby fihgers or, in- quisitive youngsters, the home reme- dies should be kept. On the dental shelf should be such staple articles as the tincture of fodine, oil of cloves, ide of hydrogen or pyrozome, lit- paper (red and blue), toothpicks and absorbent cotton. The hot water bag and the eye dropper are indispen- sable. Todine and all other poisons shculd be plainly labeled as such and used oply for a specific purpose and in quantities as directed by physician or dentist. For a simple toothache rinse the mouth with warm water and gent- ly dislodge any food packed into the cavity, using a toothpick or floss silk for the purpose. By throwing the head back and opening the mouth as wide as you can, with the aid of a mirror tuck a small wisp of cotton saturated with the oil of cloves into the cavity. Follow this with another small dry pledget of cotton, being careful not to pack it too tightly. Paint the gum around the tooth with simple tincture of fodine, which tends to reduce the in- flammation. Above all things don’t use carbollc acid, creosote, chloroform or anything caustic inside or outside of the mouth to soothe an aching tooth. They only add fuel to the fire instead of checking it. People have been known to use lodine and even creosote or car- bolic acid on the cheeks and neck for toothache and the fool killer certainly must be looking for them. For Abscessed Teeth. ‘When you first feel the dull, gnaw- ing heat and attendant heat, redness and swelling above a tooth, don’t use the hot water bag or any kind of poultice on the outside of the face to draw the pus to the surface. Many- a scar uoon the face could be avoided if the proper remedy were used. If the gum above the tooth and over the root is swollen and seem to be what is known as a gumboil, open it if pos- sible, with a needle or lance to re- lease the pus. Poultice only from the inside of the mouth. Take a rai- sin, roast it and cut in halves. Scoop out the center portion of one of the halves and fill the snace with red pepper. Apply the pepper side of the raisin to the swollen gum at a point over the abscessed tooth. The lips will hold the raisin in place, and a handier, less bulky poultice cannot be made. If two teeth are involved use the other half of the raisin prepared as above and apply over the swollen part of the gum. An aching tooth throbs and m?wl e e child castor oil, at nizhtfall and the ne trate of magnesia. Ir the mach brought into throw off the complish most when all work together with absce: s home For Neuralz > of dent. seat of trouble and rem Neuralgia may spr sources and m fully administered, directed and to give temporary relief until the dentist can be consulted. L rule of your life to use t remedies first, and the applied to t temple, hot wate or o point of greatest pain, will give t needed relief. Hot or cold towe bound about the face and head w be found valuable in neuralgia and in all facial inflammat The foll ing prescription, u with care only as directed, will be found v: ble in neuralgic troubles. It s not be taken by people with hearts. R. W= 1 E 1 weak Acetanilid Comp. 5 grain tablets Slg. Take 5 grains (1 tablet) and follow each half hour for next hodt with grains (5 tab- let) in water Do not take more than three doses, the first one being a whole tablet and the two following half hourly being half tablets. People must use some discretion in the administration o drugs and if the first tablet accom- phishes the result don't take the rest of them. If the remedy should fail to give relief, get as much comfort as you can out of the hot water bag un- til morning and make a bee line for your dentist. Earache is often caused by aching teeth and your druggist can put up either of the following prescriptions, which are to be d in the ear only and in smallest quantities Fl. ext. aconite, one-half dram. FL ext. belladonna, one-half dram. Water, one and a half drams. For earache, apply on cotton tucked into ear or use with dropper. Laudanum and sweet oil, equal parts. Apply on cotton to inside of ear or use with dropper. For earache, saturate a small plece of cotton with either of the foregolng remedies and tuck carefully into the ear with a blunt wooden toothpick or, better still, have some one drop a couple of drops Into the ear, tucking in & plug of cotton to prevent the out- flow. When the eyes are inflamed or bloodshot, as is often the case in ab- scessed conditions, an eye wash will be found very soothing. Have either of these prescriptions filled and their use will be found vary satisfactory Acid boracic (powdered), 4 ounces. Dissolve a teaspoonful in a glass of warm water and use in eye cup. Zinc sulphate, 2 per cent ution. Drop in eye night and morning. But bear in mind that hot and cold applications will do a great deal toward reducing inflammations and should be used first. Antiphlogistine, except in abscessed conditions, can be applied to neck or any unexposed part of the body to draw the inflammation. Frequently in the cutting of wisdom teeth the glands and muscles of the neck become inflamed and often fol- lowing extractions of non-abscessed teeth there is swelling of the tissues of the neck and antiphlogistine is valua- ble in such cases. When desirable to draw pus to the surface, it will make a grand poultice. Canker sores frequent- ly annoy us by appearing on lips or cheek inside the mouth and they re- spond quickly to treatment with aro- matie sulphuric acid. Keep the tissue zbout the canker sore dry and with wisp of cotton on a toothpick touch the sore with the acid. Use care not to get the medicine on any other spot than the sore. Powdered alum on a moist plece of cotton tucked into the socket is use- ful. Paint the gums around and in the socket with tincture of ijodine to re- duce soreness. If however, aii of these remedies have no effect use Monsell's solution and carefully pack a small ball of cotton saturated with it into the cavity and follow with & plug of cotton to hold the first in place. The care of the teeth and exercises in the manipulation of the toothbrush should be a vital part of the training of the kindergarten. By nipping all diseases in their inciplency we can rear a race of Trojans, and as we made the education of the youth compulsory, we must be equally despotic, and making strong, healthy children, put a sound mind in a sound body. For the great mass of the poor properly conducted clinics must be supported by the state and by philanthropically inclined hu- manitarians which will enable the peor to have skillful treatment. In such a time those who prey uvon them, the dental parlor faker with the electric stgn and painless front, will fold up his tent like an Arab and silently slink away.