TEETH. 



the growth of the tooth is thoroughly completed ; and, 

 therefore, it is a totally different diforder from necrofis oi' 

 the bones, which is attended with plienomena, connefted 

 with the vafcularity of the parts themfelves. 



Hence it is only in infants that feveral of the teeth are 

 ufually thus diflempered. 



Necrofis of the milk-teeth is indeed much more frequent 

 than of the permanent fet. 



The following varieties of the complaint, depending on the 

 difference of the caufe, have been diftinguilhed. 



I . Blacknefs of the teeth from rachitis. In ricketty in- 

 fants, the milk-teeth come out of the jaw more tardily, and 

 they foon afterwards turn black and friable, and fall out 

 piecemeal. The fecondary teeth alfo, when rachitis is not 

 cured between the firft and fecond dentition, are affefted 

 with the fame deftrudlive change, fo that fubjecls of this de- 

 fcription are either deftitute of teeth during the whole of 

 their livcii, or only have in their mouths teeth which have a 

 black eroded appearance. 



As for the cure of rachitis, we do not intend to confider 

 it in the prefent place, and Ihall merely ftate that the pure 

 milk of a healthy nurfe, falubrious air, a great deal of exer- 

 cife, good food, abforbent medicines, white alkaline falts, 

 Bcrdmo're"reiaterrfurpri'rmg example of this fort of bark, ftcel, fea-bathing, &c. are the remedies principally 

 tartar. A man, thirty-two years of age, had the teeth of recommended. 

 each jaw coated with folid tartar, half an inch in thicknefs, 2. Scorbutic blacknefs of the teeth. When the fcurvy 

 both on the outfide and infide of -the teeth, and on the fur- attacks children before the offification of the teeth is corn- 

 face of the gums, fo that ilieinterfticesofthe teeth were alto- pleted, the milk-teeth, as foon as cut, either appear to be 

 gether invifible. The gums were every where pulhed off the ah-eady eroded, or in a (hort time afterwards become fo, and 

 teeth, and painful. The incruftations upon the incifor teeth -•' — - >-'—'' --'"■- 



I. Tartar from negka to wa(h the mouth. It originates 

 from the gluten of the faliva, whidi, in uncleanly fcorbutio 

 fubieAs, and great wine-drinkers, adlie.es to the teeth, be- 

 comes putrid "with the lieat. and in putrefying depolits a lort 

 of earthy matter upon the teeth. People who drink chiefly 

 water are (Adorn troubled with earthy mcrullations on tlieir 



teeih. . , , on 



The cure require the removal of the tartar. Small por- 

 tions of tartar may be taken off by means of a brufli and a 

 thickifh tooth-powder. 



But when the tartar is abundant, thick, and grown, as it 

 were, to the teeth, it mull be cut witii a fuitable mftrument 

 placed obliquely, beginning from the neck, and cai-rying the 

 inftrument towards the upper part of the tooth. The tartar 

 hiring been cut, is then to be removed picc-meal. 



Any remaining particles of tartar may afterwards be gra- 

 dually got rid of by the ufe of a brulh and tooth-powder. 



2. Spontaneous tartar. There are certain perfons, whofe 

 teeth are conftantly incruftcd with tartar, notwithftanding 

 they are in the continual habit of wadiing their teeth and 

 mouths. 



This peculiar d^athefis feems to confiR in an extraordinary 

 quantity of earthy matter in the faliva. 



were fo tliick, that the lower lip was rendered more promi 

 nent. Diu-ing a fortnight, Berdmore removed every day fome 

 of the tartar from the teeth with an inftrument, and at 

 length employed a dentifrice and brufli. The retraced 

 gums were fcarified, and thus made to adhere to the necks of 

 the teeth. The patient was obhged to brulh his gums and 

 teeth three times a day, partly with a view of preventing the 

 new formation of tartar, and partly in order that the regene- 

 ration of the gums might be flill more promoted. But 

 although the patient ftriftly followed this plan, his teeth and 

 gums, in the courfe of half a year, became again covered 

 with an extremely thick coat of tartar. Berdmore was there- 

 fore under the neceffity of recommending the ufe of a ftiffer 

 brufli, and a dentifrice made of fliells, for the purpofe of re- 

 moving the tartar. P. 56. 



With refpeft to the treatment of tartareous incruftations 

 of the teeth in general, it is effential to remove the tartar and 

 clean the teeth well every day. 



The internal and external remedies alfo, which are ufually 

 advifed for diffolving ftones in the bladder, may be employed, 

 as lime-watei, pure potaffa, &c. 



Sometimes peppermint-water, with a few drops of nitrous 

 acid, is ufed with advantage. 



3. Tartar from the porofity of the furface of the teeth. 

 Perfons who are in the habit of ufing acrid tindlures or pow- 

 ders which diffolve the enamel, and make it porous, are fre- 

 quently troubled with tartareous incniftations. 



The x:aufe being avoided, the mode of treatment is the 

 fame as in the preceding cafes. 



0/ Blacknefs or Necrofis of the Teeth. — This is a very pe- 

 culiar affeftion of all the teeth, making them appear black, 

 rough, and eroded. 



Sometimes only the upper part of the crown exhibits a 

 dark-coloured erofion ; while, in other inftances, the whole 

 fubflance of the tooth is eroded. 



The proximate caufe of this difeafe is imputed by Plenck 

 to injury of the nutrient veffels of the pulp by difeafe, before 



6 



put on a black colour. 



The cure demands the immediate exhibition of anti-fcor- 

 butic medicines, with the affiftance of which the fecond 

 teeth are fometimes perfeftly healthy. 



3. Blacknefs of the teeth from the fmall-pox. In chil- 

 dren who are feized with malignant fmall-pox during the 

 firft or fecond dentition, a black erofion of the teeth is fre- 

 quently obferred. 



The cure requires the repeated adminiftration of purga- 

 tives, and then the Peruvian bark. 



4. Blacknefs of the teeth from mealies. The fame black 

 erofion of the teeth has been remarked after fevere cafes of 

 meafles. 



The cure is the fame as in the .foregoing inftance. 



All the preceding fpecies of necrofis, when they affect the 

 milk-teeth, are to be ftopped by their proper fpecific reme- 

 dies, in order that the fecond fet of teeth may not be af- 

 fefted ; but when thefe are difordered, the cafe is irreme- 

 diable. 



5. Blacknefs of the teeth from tart.ir. The tartar it- 

 felf fometimes tunis black, and even after its removal, the 

 teeth often remain of a blackifli colour, wliich cannot be 

 effaced. 



6. Blacknefs of the teeth from the appbcation of mineral 

 acids. Nitrovis acid diluted with water, in a fliort time, 

 whitens the teeth ; but foon afterwards renders them black 

 and friable. Plenck has feen the lateral edges of the teeth 

 turned black and corroded by the employment of mercurial 

 cofmetics. 



7. Blacknefs of the teeth from cancer. Plenck has twice 

 noticed in men, who were afflifted with ulcerated cancers of 

 the lower lip, the teeth disfigured with a deep black colour. 

 But it is to be remarked, that the affeftion was confined to 

 the enamel, and did not extend to the bony fubftance of the 

 fangs. 



Preternatural Co/our of the Teeth, — This is a change of 

 the natural colour of the teeth to a yellow or alh-eolour. 

 I . Difcolouration from negleft to clean the teeth. The 



fordcs. 



