Page 441 - My FlipBook

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mentioned as desirable, and to a degree necessary, for artifi-
cial teeth. In the first place, their substance soft, much
is
more than the human teeth, or animal teeth. They have not
the peculiar enamel which is possessed by the two latter.
Although their colour is, at first, nearly like the natural teeth,
it is very soon lost. They at first become yellow, then of
a dark dingy colour : they have nothing like animation in
their appearance. Besides losing their colour, in some cases,
I have seen them decayed. They are apt to contract a most
offensive, filthy smell. This last is an objection which, if
there was no other, is sufficiently weighty to banish this sub-
stance forever from the list of materials used for artificial
teeth. To those who have never taken notice of this sub-
ject, it would be astonishing to observe how even two, three,
or four of these teeth do pollute the mouth and breath of the
person wearing them, even when they are kept as clean as
circumstances will allow ; and when persons are not cleanly
with them, they become insufferably offensive, in most cases.
Individual exceptions are found, but rarely, to these obser-
vations. So much do these facts weigh with me that I never
use the sea horse ivory for any purpose about the mouth.
And very frequently, I take out these teeth and replace them
with natural or animal teeth, and to the great satisfaction of
my patients. I need not mention the injurious consequences
resulting from the use of such teeth, for every injury result-
ing from a vitiated state of the saliva is produced by these.
They vitiate the former to a great degree. I could mention
numerous instances of the kind, but do not, in the least, think
it necessary. If any one doubts it, I would refer them to
any person who wears these teeth, and he will find my ob-
servations verified in ninety cases out of a hundred. I will
not deny if the sea horse ivory is good, and principally the