TEETH. 



The more numerous the teeth are which are making their 

 way out together, the more fevtrc are generally the lymp- 

 toms, and the greater is the danger. 



Bloated, coliive, heavy children are extremely liable to be 

 carried off by dentition. 



The iucifors and grinders ufually come out with more eafe 

 than the canine teeth. Thin children, who are aflFcfted with 

 acute fever, and whofc bowels are open, arc in Icfs danger 

 from dentition. Infants who have a cough during tliis pro- 

 cefs, are often a long while in cutting their teeth. The fore- 

 going prognofis accords with what was pronounced upon 

 the lubjeft by Hippocrates, whofe accuracy remains unim- 

 peached. 



As the fymptoms of dentition are partly inflatmnatory, 

 being accompanied with a ftrong determination of blood 

 towards the head and brain ; and partly fpafmoilic, in confe- 

 quence of the fympathy of the teeth with other parts, the 

 treatment requires that antiphlogiilic and antifpafmodic 

 means be en>ployed. It is neceifary, therefore, 



1. That the bowels be kept open with emollient clyfters. 



2. That leeches be applied behind the ears. 



3. That the fyrup of poppies, with nitre and one or two 

 drops of laudanum be internally adminiftercd. 



4. That the red part of the gum over the tooth which is 

 about to be cut, be rubbed with a mixture of lemon-juice 

 and honey, or cream. 



5. That in the event of there being a tendency to convul- 

 fions, in addition to tlie other fymptoms, a divifion of the gum 

 be made over the tooth. By the majority of praftitioners, 

 indeed, the lall is confidered as by far the mofl ufeful and 

 efficient means of relief. 



This incifion is to be made through the gum with the 

 common inftrument, well known by the name of the gum- 

 lancet, which is fai- better for the purpofe than an ordmary 

 lancet, which is apt to cut the tongue and lips, efpecially 

 when the child moves about much. The grinding teeth re- 

 quire a crucial incifion : all the others a fimple tranfverfe 

 cut completely through the gum. The wound is then to be 

 examined v?ith the finger, in order to afcertain that no tenfe 

 fibre over the tooth continues undivided. In this country, 

 pradtitioners feldom apply any thing to the incifion ; but 

 abroad, it is not uncommon to put to it a mixture of lemon- 

 juice and honey. 



Internally, antifpafmodics may be exhibited, particularly 

 the fyrup of poppies, with the fpiritus ammonia: fuc- 

 cinatus. 



In order to promote dentition, and render its effefts on the 

 conftitution as mild as poffible, the celebrated Plenck re- 

 commends, that as foon as the infant is five months old, its 

 goims be rubbed fcveral times a day with a mixture of lemon- 

 juice and honey, firfl over the middle incifors of the lower 

 Jaw, and when thefc have come out, over thofe of the upper 

 jaw. 



Emollient remedies are faid to relax the gums too much, 

 the confequence of which is, that the loofe gum is (lowly 

 and difficultly perforated by the tooth, as inilead of ulcer- 

 ating, it is only raifed and rendered tenfe. 



The ufe of hard applications, as biting the root of marfh- 

 mallows, fmooth corals, boars' tuilcs, &c. render the gums 

 callous ; but more good might, perhaps, be derived, if fub- 

 ftances with rough furfaces were employed. 



A premature incifion of the gum foon clofes again, and 

 therefore does little fervice ; but we do not believe that the 

 cicatrix, thus produced, can be any impediment afterwards 

 to dentition, as many have imagined ; for it is a;i ellabliilied 

 faft, that cicatrices in general are more difpofed to ulce- 

 rate and be abforbed, than the original parts of the body. 



We would never fulTcr any idle apprehenfions of the above 

 fort to deter us from dividing the gum, were there any chance 

 of benefit from the proceeding. At the fame time, we do 

 not recommend this as a prophybaic meafure, but as being 

 proper only when illncfs, fufpeded to arife from dentition, 

 aftually cxifts. 



Pranalure Denl'ilion — This is ftated to happen, when the 

 milk-teelii come out before the infant is fix months old. 

 Sometimes children are even born with their teelli already 

 cut. R/.afcynky, Rliodiu8, 1'Eclufe, and Stoerck, mention 

 a boy, who had the molares at the time of birth. Alfo in an 

 abortion of fix months, and anotlier of feven, teeth have been 

 obferved. (Haileri Elemcnta Phyfiol. t. vi. p. 19.) Van 

 Swieteu met with two incifors in an abortion of five months. 

 (Comm. t. iv. p. 742.) In a very weak male child, born at 

 eight months, Arnold faw two perfed teeth rife out of the 

 lower jaw ou the feventh day after birth, and grow with ex- 

 traordinary quicknefs ; but they fell out in tlie eighth week 

 from their firft appearance. Obf. Phyfico-Med. p. 70. 



In general it is to be concluded, that early dentition indi- 

 cates great conftitutional vigour and ftrength. 



Of BacLzuard Denthiiii — Backward dentition is when the 

 milk-teeth are not cut, though the child is a twelvemonth old, 

 or even older. The proximate caufe of this delay is gene- 

 rally referred by medical writers to languor and weak- 

 nefs of the conilitution. But late dentition is of fcveral 

 kinds. 



1. Backward dentition from an unknown caufe fome- 

 times happens, the teeth not making their appearance for a 

 year after birth, notwithftanding the children have not any 

 appearance of debility. Van Swieten met with a moll 

 healthy female child, who was nineteen months old when fbe 

 cut the firll tooth. Comm. t. iv. p. 742. 



2. Backward dentition from the rickets. It is univcr- 

 fally known, that in rickelty children the cutting of the 

 teeth is a long while delayed. In thefe fubjedts the gums 

 are always much relaxed, and wc have already Hated, that 

 this circumllance is by no means favourable to dentition. 

 It is probable, alfo, that in ricketty infants the teeth them- 

 felves are a long while before they are perfeftly formed, it 

 being well afcertained, that in fuch conflitutions the depofi- 

 tion of the phofphate of lime takes place with extraordinary 

 flownefs and difficulty. 



3. Backward dentition of the dentes fapientix. The wife 

 teeth are feldom cut before the twentieth year, and fome- 

 times they firll come out in perfons confidcrably advanced in 

 years. Hallcri Element. Phyfiol. t. vi. p. 28. 



4. Late dentition in adults. Sometimes this takes phce 

 a third time, chiefly with refpedl to the incifores ; and iii- 

 ilances are aftually recorded, in which thefe teeth were cut 

 in adults, or even in old perfons. Hallcr quotes examples, 

 in which they were cut at the ages of 90, 95, 100, 1 1 8, 1 20, 

 and later. Haileri, 1. c. t. viii. 1. 30. 



Wrong Situation of the Teeth This iiappcns when the teetii 



make their appearance in the palate, or in any place not 

 comprifed in the alvcolary arches. The proximate caufe of 

 this unpleafant occurrence is the preternatural formation of 

 the young tooth in an erroneous fituation. 



The caies may be of different kinds, in regard to the place 

 which the tooth occupies. 



1. When a tooth grows out of the palate, it obilrufts 

 maftication, and by rubbing againll the tongue, often makes 

 it ulcerate. The inconvenience can only be remedied by 

 extraftiiig the difplaced tooth. 



2. The tooth may come out under the tongue. This cafe 

 produces the fame grievances as the preceding, and requires 

 the fame mode of relief. 



B b 2 3. The 



