Page 284 - My FlipBook

154 PATHOLOGY OF THE HARD TISSUES OF THE TEETH.
particular person best, or place him or her in a state of
mind that will give the opportunity to do dental operations to
the best advantage and greatest good to the patient. This
requires a close sympathy of mind with mind, a development of
confidence on the part of both operator and patient, a matter
that every dentist should cultivate with great care.
The dentist has a duty also as a teacher while doing his
duty as an operator. His professional life should be an exhibit
of the helpfulness that earnest dentistry can be to his commun-
ity. This gives him power for good. Aside from this, he should
in his daily office work be continually but judiciously giving
information regarding dentistry that will be helpful in devel-
oping the ability of people to make the best use of dentistry.
To-day only about fourteen per cent of the people of America
employ dentists or make any intelligent use of dentistry. Still,
no other country has done as well. We can and will do better,
and every dentist has a duty in furthering the information of
the people to this end. This he can do best in his professional
intercourse with patients in his own office by giving judicious
and careful advice that will be helpful on any points that may
come up. That which proves helpful to one person will gradually
be disseminated to others, and, in time, the whole community
will be benefited and will make a wiser and better use of den-
tistry. Much more good is done through these bits of informa-
tion thus given in a careful manner at proper times than can be
imparted in any amount of printed matter, however wisely writ-
ten, intended to give the people information as to the care of
their teeth.
Cleanliness.
Cleaning which patients should do for themselves. One
of the important features of the management of a practice is
the management of the artificial cleaning of patients' mouths,
or instruction of patients in the use of the brush, the toothpick,
silk floss, rubber bands, etc., and the recognition of conditions
under which these should be used. Persons will be found who
have no use for any of these things, persons whose mouths will
be clean without them. Examine them before breakfast, after
breakfast, or any other time of day, and the mouth will be found
clean, there will be no lodgments of food, there will be no debris
about the teeth. They have no use for tooth brushes, they have
no use for toothpicks or any of these affairs for artificial clean-
ing. Such mouths are practically perfect; the health of the