THE TEETH. 329 



is composed of the following ingredients, well pulverised in 

 a mortar, and intimately mixed together : 



Loaf sugar, half an ounce, 



Cinnamon, half an ounce, 



Gum Kino, quarter of an ounce, 



Peruvian bark, three ounces, 



Prepared chalk, six ounces, 



Armenian Bole, five and a half ounces ; 

 making one pound avoirdupoise. 



13. In addition to the above described dentifrice, every 

 person should be provided with a good tooth brush, which 

 should be laid aside as useless whenever it loses its stiffness 

 and elasticity. A piece of gloss-silk, well waxed, should be 

 employed to cleanse the open spaces between the teeth, inas- 

 much as these are not easily cleansed with the brush alone. 

 If tooth-picks are used at all, they should be made of wood 

 or quill, since those formed of any of the metals, particularly 

 of steel or iron, are quite too hard, and therefore destructive 

 to the teeth and gums. 



14. If brushing the teeth and using the other methods of 

 keeping them in order as above described, should fail of 

 effecting the desired purpose, the assistance of the dentist 

 should be put in requisition. With his scaling instruments, 

 he can effectually remove every vestige of tartar, together 

 with any other impurities lodged upon the teeth. Above all, 

 abstain from the use of all kinds of powders and washes 

 which render the teeth white by chemical action. These 

 contain acid in one form or another, and are therefore de- 

 structive to the teeth. 



15. Persons desirous of preserving their teeth in a sound 

 and healthy state for many years, should consult their gene- 

 ral health in all their habits of life, especially in relation to 

 food and drinks. Neither solid nor fluid aliment should be 

 taken into the mouth at either very high or very low tem- 

 perature, because sudden transitions from heat to cold, or 

 from cold to heat, are liable to crack the enamel of the teeth 



28* 



