Health Notes. Hygiene of the Mouth.

Well kept teeth and cleanliness of the mouth and throat are essential for good health, and an aid to beauty. No pains should be spared to keep the teeth in perfect condition. Most of the infecious page 44 page 45 diseases, including the common cold and influenza, commence their attack in the mouth and nose, and many other diseases are directly traceable to bad teeth and infected gums.

The important safeguard for good health is to keep the mouth and throat in as thoroughly healthy and hygienically clean condition as possible. There are many good dentifrices and antiseptic mouth washes that may be used.

Teeth should be thoroughly brushed at least twice daily—first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. The night cleansing is the more important, as it is necessary to remove any food that lodges on and between the teeth. Food that is left in the crannies of the teeth ferments and becomes a breeding place for bacteria.

To clean the teeth use a moderately hard toothbrush and a good antiseptic paste. Do not brush across the teeth, but up and down. Use the downward movement for the upper teeth, and the upward movement for the lower ones, so that the bristles will act as a kind of toothpick to remove food that clings to the teeth. It also helps matters to use dental floss to remove food that collects in the spaces and crannies between the teeth that the brush cannot reach. This is where decay usually commences.

Daily massage of the gums is also necessary, especially if the gums show a tendency to sensitiveness or bleeding. To massage, apply a little of the tooth paste to the forefinger and rub gently both inside and outside of the roof of the mouth, making all the movements towards the teeth. As the gums become less sensitive brisker movements may be used. This massage stimulates and increases the flow of blood to the teeth.

Use a mouth wash after meals. Magnesia makes a useful mouth wash, as it counteracts any acidity. So use it occasionally; chewing is another important factor that is necessary for dental health. The teeth and jaws should be given plenty of work to do. They will be stronger and healthier the more they are used. The diet should always include plenty of fruit and vegetables that require much chewing. Hard toast should always be preferred to soft bread. The thorough mastication of hard food releases salivary juices and aids digestion.

The importance of thorough mouth hygiene should be impressed on children at an early age, and parents and guardians should see that it is thoroughly carried out, even by the very young. Much can be done to ensure a healthy mouth by attention to the dietary of children. Do not give them too much pappy food. A sufficiency of lime in the diet is essential, and children should be taught to chew hard foods, crusts and toast, to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and to drink a ration of milk daily.