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CHAPTER IV. ;
CUSTOMS RELATING TO THE TEETH AMONG
DIFFERENT PRIMITIVE PEOPLES.
[osEPH Murphy, in his book,^^ Natural History of the Human Teeth,^
says that the natives of Hindostan, especially the Brahmins or priests
of Brahma, take extreme care of their teeth. Every morning they rub
them for about an hour with a small twig of the fig tree, at the same
time that, turned toward the rising sun, they recite their prayers and
invoke Heaven's blessing on themselves and their families. As this
custom is prescribed in the most ancient codes and religious writings of
India, it reverts, without doubt, to the remotest ages, and, therefore,
demonstrates the great importance that this people, and particularly the
Brahmin caste, has ever attributed to beauty and cleanliness of the teeth.
Murphy affirms that the Brahmins, in general, have magnificent teeth
and that this depends, certainly in great part, on the assiduous and
scrupulous care that they take of them.
From the writings of their ancient poets one also deduces in what high
esteem the people of India held beautiful teeth, considering them one
of the principal ornaments of the face. The lover, says Murphy, never
neglected, in enumerating the beauties of his lady-love, to praise the
whiteness and regularity of her teeth.
Among some of the people of India, when the second dentition is
completed, it is customary to separate the teeth one from the other with
a file; we do not know^, however, whether this is done as an embellish-
ment or with some other object — perhaps, as suggested by Joseph
Linderer," to prevent caries.
Anyhow, this and other customs in vogue in various parts of India
and in many islands of Oceanica demonstrate that these peoples attribute
great importance to the teeth.
The substituting of gold teeth for those missing has been in use in
Java from exceedingly remote times.
Dyeing the teeth black is considered a great embellishment among
many races of Asia and Oceanica; this operation is sometimes preceded
' London, i8i i.
^ Die Zahnheilkunde, etc., 1 851, p. 347.
* Bontii, De medicina Indorum, 1642, lib. iv.
J.
CHAPTER IV. ;
CUSTOMS RELATING TO THE TEETH AMONG
DIFFERENT PRIMITIVE PEOPLES.
[osEPH Murphy, in his book,^^ Natural History of the Human Teeth,^
says that the natives of Hindostan, especially the Brahmins or priests
of Brahma, take extreme care of their teeth. Every morning they rub
them for about an hour with a small twig of the fig tree, at the same
time that, turned toward the rising sun, they recite their prayers and
invoke Heaven's blessing on themselves and their families. As this
custom is prescribed in the most ancient codes and religious writings of
India, it reverts, without doubt, to the remotest ages, and, therefore,
demonstrates the great importance that this people, and particularly the
Brahmin caste, has ever attributed to beauty and cleanliness of the teeth.
Murphy affirms that the Brahmins, in general, have magnificent teeth
and that this depends, certainly in great part, on the assiduous and
scrupulous care that they take of them.
From the writings of their ancient poets one also deduces in what high
esteem the people of India held beautiful teeth, considering them one
of the principal ornaments of the face. The lover, says Murphy, never
neglected, in enumerating the beauties of his lady-love, to praise the
whiteness and regularity of her teeth.
Among some of the people of India, when the second dentition is
completed, it is customary to separate the teeth one from the other with
a file; we do not know^, however, whether this is done as an embellish-
ment or with some other object — perhaps, as suggested by Joseph
Linderer," to prevent caries.
Anyhow, this and other customs in vogue in various parts of India
and in many islands of Oceanica demonstrate that these peoples attribute
great importance to the teeth.
The substituting of gold teeth for those missing has been in use in
Java from exceedingly remote times.
Dyeing the teeth black is considered a great embellishment among
many races of Asia and Oceanica; this operation is sometimes preceded
' London, i8i i.
^ Die Zahnheilkunde, etc., 1 851, p. 347.
* Bontii, De medicina Indorum, 1642, lib. iv.
J.
