Page 210 - My FlipBook

199 Management of the Teeth "
in each jaw, which make the number constituting the first
dentition, and will carry the child to two or three years of age.
For further information on this subject, see " Teething,
page 31.
When the first dentition is completed, the child has twenty
beautiful pearls, well arranged, without spot or blemish, and
very highly polished. It would seem that these perfect teeth
need not be subject to corrosion and disease, yet so it is. Shall
we like all culprits who wish to throw the blame from their own
I
shoulders, attribute it to the innocent reproach of nature ?
tell ye nay, for in a majority of cases, the difficulty is the re-
sult of neglect, causes not attributable to nature, and which if
watched with that care which the importance of the teeth
justly demands, would be perfectly under our control. The
teeth would not so often be found defective, painful, rotten
and broken off, for the diseases of the teeth, do not often spring
up instantaneously, like the many heads of the formidable
hydra ; but, on the contrary, it is feeble in its commence-
ment, and slow in its progress and operation hence it may
;
easily be combatted and overcome. Notwithstanding, a de-
scription of the means necessary to be used to accomplish
this object, will prove of very little advantage, for the tempo-
ral teeth are generally considered of very little importance,
and not worth any attention, as they are soon to be superced-
ed by the permanent set : this is very true, but it is of great
importance to the permanent teeth, that the mouth be kept
healthy, as the following case will illustrate.
Extracted this day, the two first permanent molares of the
lower jaw ; these teeth decayed on the side, in contact with
the temporary molares which were decaying, the disease hav-
ing been communicated to them by the latter teeth.
A tooth decaying on its side is sure to produce disease in the
one contiguous, from the chemical action of the acrimonious
matter generated in it.
To proceed then, for the benefit of those who may wish to
be informed. The first chaDge that will take place in these