ORGANS AND PROCESSES OF DIGESTION 163 



meal, should if possible be avoided. The table is no place 

 for settling difficulties or administering rebuke. The con- 

 versation, on the other hand, should be elevating and joy 

 giving, thereby inducing a desirable reactionary influence 

 upon the digestive processes. 



Care of the Teeth. The natural teeth are indispensable 

 for the proper mastication of the food. Of especial value 

 are the molars the teeth that grind the food. The de- 

 velopment of the profession of dentistry has made possible 

 the preservation of the teeth, even when naturally poor, 

 as long as one has need of them. To preserve the teeth 

 they must be kept clean. They should be washed at least 

 once a day with a soft-bristled brush, and small particles 

 of food, lodged between them, should be removed with a 

 wooden pick. The biting of hard substances, such as 

 nuts, should be avoided, on account of the danger of 

 breaking the enamel, although the chewing of tough sub- 

 stances is considered beneficial. 



Decayed places in the teeth should be promptly filled 

 by the dentist. It is well, even when decayed places are 

 not known to exist, to have the teeth examined occasionally 

 in order to detect such places before they become large. 

 On account of the expense, pain, and inconvenience there 

 is a tendency to put off dental work which one knows 

 ought to be done. Perhaps in no other instance is pro- 

 crastination so surely punished. The decayed places 

 become larger and new points of decay are started ; 

 and the pain, inconvenience, and expense are increased 

 proportionately. 



The Natural Appetite should be followed with reference 

 to both the kind and the amount of food eaten. No 

 system of knowledge will ever be devised which can 

 replace the appetite as an aid in the taking of food. // h 



