the bones placed in the jaws for chewing food, that it may be the more easily digested in the stomach. The anatomical structure of the teeth has already been described under Anatomy. The diseases to which they are liable, as well as the most successful remedies for removing them, are fully detailed under Medicine and Surgery.
Much attention has been paid to the beauty and preservation of the teeth among most nations. The Romans rubbed and washed them with great care; and when they lost them, supplied their place with artificial teeth made of ivory; and sometimes, when loofe, bound them with gold. Ligatures of wire have been found to hurt the natural teeth with which the artificial are connected; whereas filkent twist cannot affect them to any considerable degree for several years.
Guilleman gives us the composition of a paste for making artificial teeth, which shall never grow yellow: the composition is white wax granulated, and melted with a little gum elemi, adding powder of white mastic, coral, and pearl.
When several teeth are out in the same place, it is best to make a set, or the number wanted, out of one piece, all adhering together, which may be fastened to the two next of the sound or natural teeth. And even a whole set of artificial teeth may be made for one or both jaws, so well fitted to admit of the necessary motions, and so conveniently retained in the proper situation by means of springs, that they will answer every purpose of natural teeth, and may be taken out, cleaned, and replaced, by the patient himself with great ease.
The common trick of mountebanks and other such practitioners, is to use various washes for teeth, the sudden effects of which, in cleaning and whitening the teeth, surprise and please people; but the effects are very pernicious. All the strong acid spirits will do this. As good a mixture as anything can be, on this occasion, is the following: take plantain-water an ounce, honey of roses two drams, muriatic acid ten drops; mix the whole together, and rub the teeth with a piece of linen rag dipped in this every day till they are whitened. The mouth ought to be well washed with cold water after the use of this or any other acid liquor; and indeed the best of all teeth washes is cold water, with or without a little salt; the constant use of this will keep them clean and white, and prevent them from aching.
After all the numerous cures which have been proposed for preventing the toothache, we will venture to recommend the keeping the teeth clean as the most efficacious, and avoiding every kind of hot food, especially hot liquids, as tea, &c. They who are constantly using powders generally destroy their teeth altogether, as the valetudinarian does his health.
TEETHING in children. See Medicine.