Teeth, and how to care for them.

  • Lewin, Octavia.
Date:
[between 1900 and 1909?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Teeth, and how to care for them. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    TEETH 7 AND HOW TO CARE FOR THEM'.' , \s, A GOOD set of teeth is necessary for the well-being of the individual, and a perfect set is one of the best oma.lTientS that one can possess. To keep them in order is therefore highly important, and knowledge and care are requisite. There are 20 temporary or milk teeth. They begin to be cut when the child is about six months old and should be all through soon after it is two years old. The first permanent tooth comes through about the sixth year, behind the last milk tooth. After that the second set gradually replaces the milk teeth. The two large back molars appear at about 12 and iS respectively. The milk teeth usually get loose as the new ones are ready to be cut, the roots get absorbed and disappear, and the tooth falls out. Sometimes the milk tooth gets pushed to one side by the new tooth and falls over while still remaining attached, and then the root instead of getting absorbed sticks into the sides of the mouth and forms ulcers. Biting is painful and the food is not properly m.asticated. The mouth gets sore and unhealthy and quite unfit to receive the new set. POSITION OF TEETH. The teeth are kept in the upright position by the action of muscles. The muscles of the cheeks and lips prevent them from being pressed out by the tongue. If the lips are not kept closed as a habit the front teeth will gradually spread, and as years go by they will stick straight out so that they cannot bite against the opposite ones and it becomes impossible to shut the mouth, and the teeth get long and loose and useless. The lips are also necessary to prevent dust and dirt being blown into the mouth and settling on the teeth. The teeth are kept firmly embedded in their sockets by the pressure of the opposing ones. If this pressure is missing they get loose in time and fall out. If a tooth is lost from COPYRIGHT—All Rights Reserved.