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Diseases of the Teeth. 95
enamel, and sometimes extends deeply into the bone of the
teeth, as though it had been removed with a round file. It
generally attacks the incisores, and sometimes extends in a
straight line across the teeth, to the cuspidaii, bicuspides, and
even the molares. The teeth have a high polish, and are not
discolored. The cause of this peculiar disease, has not been
satisfactorily explained, though it is probably friction.
ABRASION.
This is a term applied by Mr. Thomas Bell to a curious
process, by which the front, teeth and bicuspides waste away,
without any apparent cause. The disease sometimes attacks
the incisores.
Mr. Bell mentions only one case in which the front teeth
were wasted nearly away to the gum—were highly polished,
Dr. W.
and could not by any means be brought into contact.
Spooner, has seen an instance of this curious disease. It is di-
fficult to assign any cause for it, unless it be chemical action.
In conclusion, caries is the only disease of much importance,
to which the teeth are subject, as their other diseases are,
comparatively, of rare occurrence. We have before assert-
ed, as the opinion of the scientific dentists of the present
day, that most of the teeth may be preserved to the end of life.
We beg to quote the following observations of Dr. Fitch, which
are very much to the point. He says:
" It is an impression generally abroad in the minds of medi-
cal men and philosophers, that the decay and loss of the teeth
is a necessary consequence of advanced years, but I humbly
conceive that no mistake is greater. The universality of the
fact is not a positive proof, that it is a necessary consequence
of age, for there are numerous instances of persons who have
not attained the middle period of life, and yet have lost all
their teeth. It only proves this, that those destructive agents
which are the exciting causes of the disease in the teeth, gums
and alveoli, are implacable and persevering foes to the health
Diseases of the Teeth. 95
enamel, and sometimes extends deeply into the bone of the
teeth, as though it had been removed with a round file. It
generally attacks the incisores, and sometimes extends in a
straight line across the teeth, to the cuspidaii, bicuspides, and
even the molares. The teeth have a high polish, and are not
discolored. The cause of this peculiar disease, has not been
satisfactorily explained, though it is probably friction.
ABRASION.
This is a term applied by Mr. Thomas Bell to a curious
process, by which the front, teeth and bicuspides waste away,
without any apparent cause. The disease sometimes attacks
the incisores.
Mr. Bell mentions only one case in which the front teeth
were wasted nearly away to the gum—were highly polished,
Dr. W.
and could not by any means be brought into contact.
Spooner, has seen an instance of this curious disease. It is di-
fficult to assign any cause for it, unless it be chemical action.
In conclusion, caries is the only disease of much importance,
to which the teeth are subject, as their other diseases are,
comparatively, of rare occurrence. We have before assert-
ed, as the opinion of the scientific dentists of the present
day, that most of the teeth may be preserved to the end of life.
We beg to quote the following observations of Dr. Fitch, which
are very much to the point. He says:
" It is an impression generally abroad in the minds of medi-
cal men and philosophers, that the decay and loss of the teeth
is a necessary consequence of advanced years, but I humbly
conceive that no mistake is greater. The universality of the
fact is not a positive proof, that it is a necessary consequence
of age, for there are numerous instances of persons who have
not attained the middle period of life, and yet have lost all
their teeth. It only proves this, that those destructive agents
which are the exciting causes of the disease in the teeth, gums
and alveoli, are implacable and persevering foes to the health
