Page 189 - My FlipBook
P. 189
—
Tooth' Powders. 1QQ
most absurd and ridiculous, and too indelicate to be repeated.
Even some of the materials used in modern times are equally
absurd ; such as calcined bones, egg shells, crab's claws and
eyes, fishbones, mother of pearl, to which may be added soot,
scotch snuff", ashes of the cigar or of tobacco, &c. in commorj
use : these however possess the virtue of being harmless.
A great deal of mystery has ever hung over the composi-
tion of tooth powders : it is essential to the sale of them, as it
gives full scope for puffing off their virtues and imposing on the
credulous man ; for deprive any remedial agent of the charm
of mysterious composition, and he will not look at it.
In composing tooth powders, we should refer to the object
of them, which is to keep the teeth free of foreign matter, and
sometimes, to possess an astringent property. To effect this
object, all acid substances are highly improper; therefore, we
are to choose mechanical agents : it matters not much, as tq
utility, what kind of mechanical subtances we employ, pro. :
yided they be properly prepared, and innoxious, but we should
prefer those most pleasant,*
* " All the argillaceous earths form good tooth powders when mixed
With some aromatic." Dr. Hooper.
"A tooth powder is rarely of little use except as a mechanical aid
to the brush. The aromatics which enter into these compositions are of
no use to the teeth, though they may eertairily be more or less useful to
the gums ; myrrh, bark, and other drugs cam neither whiten the teeth
nor preserve them. Bearing in mind, that the use of a tooth powder is to
assist the action of the brush, those substances should be chosen which
can be finely levigated, and which have no tendency to wear away the
enamel. The testaceous powders, therefore, in combination with some
alkaline should be preferred. The best tooth powders in my opinion are,
'
composed of such ingredients as the following.
Take of Prepared chalk, > ? - - 3 drachms.
." Castile soap, - - - - - 1 "
Orris root, ------ -2
I* "
f. f Garbonate of soda - - - - 1 !\
?
." I have generally found that after the teeth have been perfectly clean-
ed with instruments, they are kept free from tartar, by .crushing them'
once or twic3 a day with, this powder."— Snell, page ll)9.
,
" In those constitutions in which there is a peculiar tendency to the
formuion of tartar, it will be necessary to have recourse to the daily use
of some simple tooth powder, such as prepared chalk, or any other sub
:
Tooth' Powders. 1QQ
most absurd and ridiculous, and too indelicate to be repeated.
Even some of the materials used in modern times are equally
absurd ; such as calcined bones, egg shells, crab's claws and
eyes, fishbones, mother of pearl, to which may be added soot,
scotch snuff", ashes of the cigar or of tobacco, &c. in commorj
use : these however possess the virtue of being harmless.
A great deal of mystery has ever hung over the composi-
tion of tooth powders : it is essential to the sale of them, as it
gives full scope for puffing off their virtues and imposing on the
credulous man ; for deprive any remedial agent of the charm
of mysterious composition, and he will not look at it.
In composing tooth powders, we should refer to the object
of them, which is to keep the teeth free of foreign matter, and
sometimes, to possess an astringent property. To effect this
object, all acid substances are highly improper; therefore, we
are to choose mechanical agents : it matters not much, as tq
utility, what kind of mechanical subtances we employ, pro. :
yided they be properly prepared, and innoxious, but we should
prefer those most pleasant,*
* " All the argillaceous earths form good tooth powders when mixed
With some aromatic." Dr. Hooper.
"A tooth powder is rarely of little use except as a mechanical aid
to the brush. The aromatics which enter into these compositions are of
no use to the teeth, though they may eertairily be more or less useful to
the gums ; myrrh, bark, and other drugs cam neither whiten the teeth
nor preserve them. Bearing in mind, that the use of a tooth powder is to
assist the action of the brush, those substances should be chosen which
can be finely levigated, and which have no tendency to wear away the
enamel. The testaceous powders, therefore, in combination with some
alkaline should be preferred. The best tooth powders in my opinion are,
'
composed of such ingredients as the following.
Take of Prepared chalk, > ? - - 3 drachms.
." Castile soap, - - - - - 1 "
Orris root, ------ -2
I* "
f. f Garbonate of soda - - - - 1 !\
?
." I have generally found that after the teeth have been perfectly clean-
ed with instruments, they are kept free from tartar, by .crushing them'
once or twic3 a day with, this powder."— Snell, page ll)9.
,
" In those constitutions in which there is a peculiar tendency to the
formuion of tartar, it will be necessary to have recourse to the daily use
of some simple tooth powder, such as prepared chalk, or any other sub
:
