The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

258 THE HEALTH BULLETIN.A Practical Talk toWE MUST HAVE GOOD TEETHChildren and Grown-ups Who Don't Want to beBothered with Toothache and "Stomach Trouble"When They Get OlderGood teeth, like good health, are uotvalued as they should be, and it isonly after we have lost either that weunderstand how little we valued them.If you have never thought of it before,notice now how few grown-uppeople have really pretty teeth; andwhen you see a man or woman whohas beautiful teeth, observe whetheror not that person has not only goolteeth but also splendid health. Theremay be an exceptionnow and then,but it is the rulethat a beautiful setof teeth and perfecthealth go hand inhand, and we aregoing to try toshow you why thisis,for there shouldbe a reason' for It.When little b a-bies are born theirnatural food i smilk, for a time,for which no teethare required andfor which natureprovides none. Asthe months pass,the baby begins torequire solid food,and as this timecomes nature provides additionalpower in the stomach to digest thatmore solid food, and in addition furnishesin the mouth the tools by whichthis solid food may be crushed, groundup and divided so that the juices inthe mouth and stomach can quicklyand easily come in contact with itand fit it to be taken up into the bodyfornourishment.THE PRIME ESSENTIAL INHAVING GOOD TEETH IS PRE-VENTION. PREVENT DECAY BYTHE REGULAR USE OF THETOOTHBRUSH MORNING ANDEVENING. OMIT WASHINGYOUR FACE AND HANDS RATH-ER THAN CLEANING YOURTEETH. THEN PREVENT TINYCAVITIES FROM BECOMINGLARGER BY GOING TO A DEN-TIST AT LEAST ONCE EVERYYEAR OR SIX MONTHS ANDHAVING THE TEETH CARE-FULLY INSPECTED AND TINYCAVITIES FILLED.During the time that the teeth aregrinding it up and separating it intominute particles, there is being pouredinto it the saliva of the little glandsin the mouth, which is the first preparationneeded in its digestion. If itwere not for this fine division the foodgets in being ground up by the teeth,it would enter the stomach in moreor less large, solid pieces, unmixedwith the saliva, and the juices of thestomach would thenbe able to attackonly the outsideofit. While thesejuices would intime, perhaps, digestit, yet thegreater work thatthey would be requiredto do would,after a while, sotax their workingpower that theywould and do becomeweak and unabletodo the additionalwork, just asa man or a horsewho is sent outevery day to domore than he is capableof doing becomesweaker andweaker until at last he can do no more.You will see, then, how valuable it isto have each and every tooth in perfectcondition, simply from the standpointof the preparation of the foodfor digestion.When a person has a decaying toothin his mouth, he not only takes awayjust that much of his tools for th?preparation of his food, but he begin"-