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fensive. By being deposited upon the teeth in quantity al-
most equal to the whole of the teeth, and being of a dark
colour, it completely destroys the beauty of the teeth, and
causes them to assume a dark and very repulsive, dirty, and
offensive appearance. It is, no doubt, directly, and indirect-
ly, one of the most efficient causes of the loss and destruc-
tion of the teeth. Many persons, upon breaking off pieces
of this matter, are disposed to think they have broken off a
portion of their teeth or tooth. Many persons disposed to
calculous and gouty affections are liable to the abundant dep-
osition of this matter. Females, during pregnancy, and con-
finement in particular, are very liable to it. Persons who are not
cleanly with regard to their teeth are more liable to acumula-
tion of it than those who regularly clean their teeth. It is usu-
ally, at first, deposited around the necks of the teeth, in the
form of dark yellowish paste, mixed, more or less with mucus,
and soon concretes and hardens into a substance like hard-
ened mortar : it is often scaled off in pieces resembling the
teeth around which it is deposited. It is deposited in great-
est quantity around those teeth situated near the opening of
the salivary ducts, and on the inside of the under incisors,
and about those teeth which are not much used, as the use
of the teeth in mastication usually brushes this substance off,
more or less. The vitiated saliva deposits itself in the dark
mucus and tartar, and is held by these in contact with the
teeth, so as to act with violence upon the enamel. It is de-
posited about the necks of the teeth, in the interstices be-
tween them, and in the irregularities of the grinding surfaces
of the large teeth. There are different idiosyncrasies in
respect to the deposition of tartar ; the teeth of some per-
sons will have little of it deposited in many years, while some
persons have as much in a few months. This substance is
removed from the teeth by mechanical means, and is pre-