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212 HUNTER ON THE TEETH.
seen it even on the grinding surface of the molares, and
often two or three Teeth are cemented together with it.
This I think could only happen to those who seldom or
never use these Teeth. It is very apt to accumulate on a
Tooth the opposite of which is lost.
I once saw a case of this kind, where the accumula-
tion, which was on a grinder, appeared like a tumour on
the inside of the mouth, and made a rising in the cheek,
which was supposed by every one that felt it, to be a
scirrhous tumour forming on the cheek ; but it broke off
and discovered what it was.
This accumulation is very apt to begin during a tit of
sickness, when the extraneous juices are allowed to rest
and perhaps the juices themselves may have at this time a
greater tendency to produce the encrusting matter.
It may also arise from any circumstance, which prevents
a person from eating solids, whereby the different parts of
the mouth have less motion on each other. Lying-in
women are instances of this ; not to mention that the
assistance of art in keeping the Teeth clean is commonly
wanting under such circumstances.
The adventitious substance, as was said before, is composed
of mucous or animal juices, and calcareous earth; the earth
is attached to and crystalized upon the Tooth, and the
mucus is intangled in these crystals.
The removal of this adventitious matter, is a part in
which the dentist ought to be very cautious ; he should be
perfectly master of the difference between the natural or
original Tooth, and the adventitious matter ; and he should be
sensible of the propriety of saving as much as possible of
the Tooth, and at the same time take pains to remove all
that which is not natural. Many persons have had their
teeth wholly spoiled by an injudicious treatment of them in
this respect.
As the cause of this incrustation is not either a known
disease of the constitution, or of the parts but depends on
212 HUNTER ON THE TEETH.
seen it even on the grinding surface of the molares, and
often two or three Teeth are cemented together with it.
This I think could only happen to those who seldom or
never use these Teeth. It is very apt to accumulate on a
Tooth the opposite of which is lost.
I once saw a case of this kind, where the accumula-
tion, which was on a grinder, appeared like a tumour on
the inside of the mouth, and made a rising in the cheek,
which was supposed by every one that felt it, to be a
scirrhous tumour forming on the cheek ; but it broke off
and discovered what it was.
This accumulation is very apt to begin during a tit of
sickness, when the extraneous juices are allowed to rest
and perhaps the juices themselves may have at this time a
greater tendency to produce the encrusting matter.
It may also arise from any circumstance, which prevents
a person from eating solids, whereby the different parts of
the mouth have less motion on each other. Lying-in
women are instances of this ; not to mention that the
assistance of art in keeping the Teeth clean is commonly
wanting under such circumstances.
The adventitious substance, as was said before, is composed
of mucous or animal juices, and calcareous earth; the earth
is attached to and crystalized upon the Tooth, and the
mucus is intangled in these crystals.
The removal of this adventitious matter, is a part in
which the dentist ought to be very cautious ; he should be
perfectly master of the difference between the natural or
original Tooth, and the adventitious matter ; and he should be
sensible of the propriety of saving as much as possible of
the Tooth, and at the same time take pains to remove all
that which is not natural. Many persons have had their
teeth wholly spoiled by an injudicious treatment of them in
this respect.
As the cause of this incrustation is not either a known
disease of the constitution, or of the parts but depends on
