Care of the Teeth
Dr. J. H. Bowditch, of the United States, having examined with a microscope the matter deposited on the teeth and gums of more than 40 individuals, selected from all classes of society, and in nearly every variety of bodily condition, has discovered, in nearly every case, animal and vegetable parasites in great numbers; in fact, the only persons whose mouths were found to be entirely free from these parasites cleaned their teeth four times daily, using soap once. Among the agents applied, it was found that tobacco-juice and smoke did not impair the vitality of the parasites; nor did the chlorine tooth-wash, pulverized bark, soda, ammonia, &c. Soap, however—pure white soap—destroyed the parasites instantly, and is, therefore, the best specific for cleaning the teeth.
It having been asked, “Did the Greek surgeons extract teeth?” Mr. George Hayes, the well-known dentist, replied, that on one of the ornaments found in an ancient building in the Crimea, is represented a surgeon drawing a tooth from the mouth of one of the barbarian royalties. “This,” says Mr. Hayes, “I think, establishes the fact that there were then peripatetics, either Egyptian or Greek dentists, who resorted to those distant countries for the purpose of practising their art. I believe this is the only representation of a surgical operation to be met with on ancient sculpture.”
Sugar has been proved injurious to the teeth, from its tendency to combine with their calcareous basis.