132 Life aitd Health 



the age of thirty more teeth are lost from this deposit 

 than from all other causes combined. 



198. The Care of Children's Teeth. The teeth of children 

 should be often examined by the dentist, especially from the 

 beginning of the second dentition, at about the sixth year, 

 until growth is completed. In infancy the mother should 

 make it a part of her daily care of the child to secure perfect 

 cleanliness of the teeth. The child thus trained will not, 

 when old enough to rinse the mouth properly or to use the 

 brush, feel comfortable after a meal until the teeth have been 

 cleansed. The habit thus formed is almost sure to be con- 

 tinued through life. 



199. Some Hints about saving Teeth. People are often 

 urged and consent to have a number of teeth extracted which, 

 with but little trouble and expense, might be kept and do 

 good service for years. The object is to replace the teeth 

 with an artificial set. Very few plates, either partial or entire, 

 are worn with real comfort. 



Most drugs have no injurious effect upon the teeth. Some 

 medicines, however, must be used with great care. The acids 

 used in the tincture of iron have a great affinity for the lime 

 salts of the teeth. As this form of iron is often used it is not 

 unusual to see teeth* very badly stained or decayed from the 

 effects of this drug. The acid used in the liquid preparations 

 of quinine may destroy the teeth in a comparatively short 

 time. After taking such medicines the mouth should be thor- 

 oughly rinsed with a weak solution of common soda, and the 

 teeth carefully cleansed. 



200. Effect of Alcoholic Beverages on the Gastric Diges- 

 tion. The mo.st marked effect of alcohol upon the stomach 

 is to irritate the gastric cells and cause an increased flow 

 of gastric juice. This abnormal irritation of the gastric 

 glands does not assist digestion, as might at first be sup- 

 posed, but serves to weaken the functional power of the 

 gastric juice. 



After a time the stomach may gradually undergo last- 

 ing structural changes. Its blood vessels remain dilated 



