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P. 97
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Diseases of the Teeth, 77 ;
The fact also, that vegetable acids act upon the teeth not-
withstanding they have lesser affinity for lime, than the acid
has, which enters so largely into their composition, as will
hereafter be mentioned, strengthens this opinion.
From these data, it is contended by Mr. L. S. Parmly, Mr.
E. Parmly and some others, that caries of the teeth is always
produced by external agents, or the action of foreign matter,
corrosive menstrua and putrefactive agents : that hereditary
predisposition, climate, the diseases of the general system, and
ah the causes of internal cariea, hereafter to be treated of, can-
not have any effect in producing caries, till the bone of the
teeth is exposed, by the erosion of the enamel. We shall not
dwell upon this doctrine, as we believe it to be wholly repug-
nant to the physiology and pathology of the teeth. It may be
proper, however to mention, that in proof of this theory, they
advance the following arguments :
The teeth of persons who neglect them, are much more lia-
ble to decay, than the teeth of those who keep them free of
foreign matter. This is certainly true, and shows the great
importance of keeping the teeth clean ; but the fact, we ap-
prehend, has not the least weight in favor of their assertions
inasmuch, as the keeping of the teeth free of chemical agents,
does not protect them from internal caries, and as external
caries generally attacks different parts of the teeth, from inter-
nal caries.
The teeth of savages, they also say, are not so liable to de-
cay as our own, because foreign matter does not collect about
them; but surely, their teeth might be affected by the putre-
factive fermentation of food, lodged in the interstices of teeth
that are never cleaned. The fact is, the Indian is the simple
man. His mode of life exempts his iron constitution, in a
great measure, from that febrile state of the system or inflam-
matory diathesis, so productive of disease in civilized life. It
is a common observation, that the teeth of our forefathers were
better than ours, though the dental art was almost unknown in
their days.
Diseases of the Teeth, 77 ;
The fact also, that vegetable acids act upon the teeth not-
withstanding they have lesser affinity for lime, than the acid
has, which enters so largely into their composition, as will
hereafter be mentioned, strengthens this opinion.
From these data, it is contended by Mr. L. S. Parmly, Mr.
E. Parmly and some others, that caries of the teeth is always
produced by external agents, or the action of foreign matter,
corrosive menstrua and putrefactive agents : that hereditary
predisposition, climate, the diseases of the general system, and
ah the causes of internal cariea, hereafter to be treated of, can-
not have any effect in producing caries, till the bone of the
teeth is exposed, by the erosion of the enamel. We shall not
dwell upon this doctrine, as we believe it to be wholly repug-
nant to the physiology and pathology of the teeth. It may be
proper, however to mention, that in proof of this theory, they
advance the following arguments :
The teeth of persons who neglect them, are much more lia-
ble to decay, than the teeth of those who keep them free of
foreign matter. This is certainly true, and shows the great
importance of keeping the teeth clean ; but the fact, we ap-
prehend, has not the least weight in favor of their assertions
inasmuch, as the keeping of the teeth free of chemical agents,
does not protect them from internal caries, and as external
caries generally attacks different parts of the teeth, from inter-
nal caries.
The teeth of savages, they also say, are not so liable to de-
cay as our own, because foreign matter does not collect about
them; but surely, their teeth might be affected by the putre-
factive fermentation of food, lodged in the interstices of teeth
that are never cleaned. The fact is, the Indian is the simple
man. His mode of life exempts his iron constitution, in a
great measure, from that febrile state of the system or inflam-
matory diathesis, so productive of disease in civilized life. It
is a common observation, that the teeth of our forefathers were
better than ours, though the dental art was almost unknown in
their days.
