Page 154 - My FlipBook

152

steel, we must consider that the wise author of nature,
formed the tooth more for resisting great external violence,
both chemical and mechanical, than for internal disease ;
and this with me is a strong argument in favor of the idea,
that the causes of external caries are far more common in
occurrence than those of internal.
Of these causes we notice all the strong acids which are
sometimes very improperly used in cleaning the teeth, with a
view of dissolving the tartar, and which are sometimes ex-
hibited for medical purposes ; these last should always be
taken through a small tube, carried back so as to pass the teeth.
We should remark that all the strong acids act chemically
upon the teeth, by corroding the enamel. All substances
taken excessively hot or cold, may injure the teeth by im-
pairing their vitality. The teeth by growing in a very
crowded manner so as to overlap and press upon and against
each other, and from this cause preventing the growth of the
enamel, are rendered much more liable to be acted upon by
the vitiated saliva, than those teeth which have free space to
grow, and whose enamel is thick and strong.
I believe it is a common idea that separating the teeth with
a file, is nearly as well as if they grew separate ; but no
greater mistake on the subject can be formed. Of this I
shall speak more particularly hereafter.
All injudicious operations upon the teeth by the dentist,
prove a most fruitful source of destruction to them. Such
as improper filing, scraping, &c. of which I shall speak more
particularly in another place. Improper ligatures used in
fastening the teeth, or in confining artificial ones, often occa-
sion caries of those teeth to which they are applied.
Improper or gritty dentifirices act upon the teeth, in weak-
ening the enamel, and subjecting them to the action of the
more immediate causes of superficial caries.