The care of the teeth

Title

Creator

Erana, G.

Language

English

Source

Volume 1 (Issue no. 8) September 1935

Year

1935

Subject

Dental hygiene

Children's health

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

214 THE YOUNG CITIZEN Septembel', 19.15 The Care of the Teeth By Dr. G. ERAJ'iA THE mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body. The food and drink that we take pass through the mouth, that is why W'! must be sure that the mouth and teeth are kept de.m and in heal thy condition. Most people look clo~e ly a·t the food before taking it to be sure it is clean, but many forget that their mouth and teeth are n0t as clean. A. mass of "matter" or pus arounr;I th? tooth or at the tip ·of the root may exist through neglect for months or years without the knowledge of the individual. This pus is poison which m.w be the cause of many bodily diseases. A pare of the pus is mixed with the food and swallowed which may cause stomach. kidney. liver or intestinal tro'..1ble: another portion goes with the blood stream which is deposited in other parts of the body causi~g he.art dis~ases. rheumatism, blood poisoning, etc. To aVoid this bad result we must take good care of our teeth. The children must be taught to cleJn the'ir teeth as soon as they are able to use tooth brush even in tender age. They must learn to care for their milk or temporary teeth as well as the perm:\· nent ones. Special attention must be given in such a way that no candy or food particles are left in the pits, along the grooves or between the teeth. If they are left to remain there. they ferment and become an ideal place for microorganisms (germs) to grow. The combined action of the fermentation and microorganisms is the cause of decay especially in the case of new young teeth for they are tender and easily decay. A- close watch must be made on the little holes. Waiting until the tooth with hole aches is a big mistake. If a tooth with hole begins to ache it is a sign.that the pulp (commonly called nerve) is in a diseased condition. The dentist, in treating it, devitalizes the pulp (kills the nerve). The tooth thm becomes dead which is no IOii.ger a part of the.living body. It is only a foreign body in the mouth which sooner or later gives trouble. It is, therefore, advis· able to have the small hole filled in before it starts to ache to keep it alive and to avoid more expense and trouble. The teeth do not grow to fit the face but the fac..! grows to fit_ the teeth. If the teeth can be made to assume their true, normal dental arch, which is the keystone of the developments of the bones of th.! face, the rest ~f the face develops in corresponding symmetry· and beauty. To avoid the malposition of teeth it is especially important to watch the growth of the second (permanent) set between the ages of six and twelve years. The first ones to ap(Please t'lrn to page 215) Cl-IARACTER EDUCATION SECTION An Old Library Book Speaks By JOSE FELICIANO * I AM an old library book, worn-out and shabbv. I have just been inspected, and.the verdict of "no longer serviceable" has been passed upon me by the chief librarian with much regret. ~his is a consolation to me, for he knows how to appreciate my worth. Consequently, I have been withdrawn from circulation. after having rendered years and years of faithful service. P9or me to rest at last-perhaps not to rest but to perish. I have hea~d that others like me have been mercilessly thrown into the flames to be reduced into nothingness-ah, what a sad fate! But after all. maybe this is best, since one can be of no more use. I am. therefore. reconciled to my fate, whatever it may be. I know that now I am not·fit to be seen by hum;i._1 eyes. I am badly mutilated·and perfectly misshapen. My cover is all broken and frightfully dirty. What leaves remain of me are loose, torn, and soiled, and on them you can find all kinds of marks and stains. I shoUid probably not be handled without gloves. But I saw better days once-th3t was in the beginning of my existence. As you could well imagine. I was then spotlessly dean. I was quite proud of. my looks. being made of paper of high quality and bound beautifully in cloth. A more attractive ·book than I was, you could hardly find. Then began my life of ceaseless activity. From the day I was put on the shelf. I havC been very much in demand. I have been in the hands of :di sorts of borrowers, including the most careful as well as the most careless; but it is the· careless on~·s that I remember better because they have caused me so much pain. Now I shall tell you about the most careless borrower that has ever handled me. The moment I saw him I could tell what an unpleasant time any book would have in his company. He was.exceedingly untidy about his person. His hair was unkempt. His camisa Was very much soiled around the neck, and he kept it unbuttoned. His shoes looked as if they had not been polished for weeks. When I heard him tell the librarian that he wanted to borrow me, I felt as though I were being. pricked by pins a11d needles. But what could I do? I was at the mercy of every borrower. Passing into his hands. I led an utterly miserable existence. He did not care what he did with me: he would drop me on the floor ·or on the ground and think nothing of it. After reading me, he would mark * Academic Division, Bureau of Education. SPptember, 19.15 THE YOUNG CITIZEN 21 lj l:Tl-llOPIA A COUNTRY Tl-IAT MAY LOSE l-IER INDEPENDENCE IN the. ea~tern part of Africa lies Eth1op1a. ·it used to be known to most people by the name ot Abyssinia. Ethiopia is the onlv independent state in Africa. It is lo:.ated · almost entirely on a high plateau. The countries around Ethiopia are all colonial possessions of Eilropean states. There is AngloEpyptian Sudan on the west; Italian Somaliland on the south-east: promised that France would always have the right to run trains into Ethiopia. Now Italy wants to build a railroad through Ethiopia in order to connect her two colonies. Eritrea on the north and Italian Somaliland on the south. But the present Er_npe•·or of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, does not want. Italy to build a railroad in his country. In spite of this, !vlussolini, the Italian Dictator, is British and French Somaliland on determined to get into Ethiopia. Ip the east: and Eritrea, also Italian, fact, during the last five years a part on the north. of Ethiopia, about 6 miles long, has Unfortunately, Ethiopia has no b·~m occupied by Italians. Mussosea-coast a~d. therefore. no ·sea-port. lini is sending thousands of Italian '1 he things she buys from other soldiers to fight their way into that countries arc first shipped to Djibuti. country. Many of them have alDjibuti is a French port in French re,1dy landed in Africa. But th1?y S_omaliland pn the Red" Sea. From have been unable to start fighting. this port all cargo for Ethiopia i~ The heavy African ~ains (ailing day st:rl.t by the only train that runs to ar~d night are very harmful to the Addi~ Adaba, the capital city. This h~alth of the Italians. This month ratlroad is run by the French. of September, when the rainy seaso•1 Ethiopia's former Emperor, will be o.ver, the war might start. whose name was Mcnelik, allowed Emperor Haile Selassie is a very France to build this railroad. To educated man. He always keeps h~!p France in building it, Ethiopil himself well informed about the contributed some money and fur- m.:any important thin°gs that happm nished workmen. Menelik also throughout the world. He does not want his country to lose her independence. If Italy does manage to get her soldiers ·into Ethiopia, she might make the Ethiopian people her subjects. The emperor is very fond of his people. He ha~ allowed them to keep their old customs and traditicns. He did not want to force them into the many modern ways of living. "Not so quickly," he said, "my people wili understand the n':'w wz.ys better if they get used to them slowly." Ethiopia was one of the first of Christian countries. When St. Mark fh:d from Egypt, he went to Ethiopia. That happened thirty y·ears after the deatli of Jesus Christ. f\t that. time the Ethiopians accepted Christianity. The Emperor of the Ethiopians claims to be a direct descendant of the great wise King Solomon aad thC' beautiful Queen Sheba of whom stc)ries are told in the Bible. This ml'ans that the people belo"ng to a vny old race. The Ethiopian emperor is also known among his people as the King of Kings and the Conquering Lion of Juda. .~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (he place by inserting a pencil or 3 ru:er, or by turning down a cornu ::>f the leaf. No matter how wet 01 dirty his hands were, he would not wipe or clean them before handling nie. He drew figures on some of my pages and sPilled ink on two o:· three other pages. What a relief it was, when he handed me back to the librarian. Dear Children: I understand that soon I shall be turned to ashes. I have no regret~. knowing I have served you well. I have only one request to make of y(,U before I take my final leave. I wish you would treat the coming generations ·of books more considerately than you have ever treat!!d us before. I need not tell you how t:::> handle us, because your teachers have repeatedly told you how to DON TEODORO R. Y ANGCO (Continued f1·om vage 200) Before I went to see Don Teodoro Yangco to talk about his boyhood days, I was wishing I had had a boyhood like his. I thought that he. being the son of Don Luis, th.! millionaire, had a wonderfully plecisanc life. a life without work, a boyhood with all the desires healing in a boy'.s heart, fulfilled. Ho\\'ever. I now realize that after all, the hcirdships during our boyhood arc what make us great men when as we grow older. Don Teodoro R. Yangco taught me a lesson. .:an. for books. But if I must say a parting word, I wish you would carry this with you: Treat books as you treat your best friends. THE CARE OF THE TEETH (Continiwd ,from page 214) pear among the permanent teeth are tht• first ( 6-year) molars. Their appearance takes place at the age of six years located just behind. the two te01porary molars on both Sides of the mouth. They are four-two upper and two lower. In most cases these teeth are neglected because thi!y a1c taken for temporary molars. They are extremely important in the. mouth as they are the mOst usefrJ ones in chewing and serve JS gl1 !de in che growth and position of the rest. Teeth need exercise as muscles do. Food which requires much chewing help make the teeth strong and healthy. People who fred exclusively on soft diet gener;.1ly have the poorest teeth. "A man is known· by the ter:th he keeps."

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