What can a mother do to preserve her children's teeth?

  • Quinby, Henry C.
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: What can a mother do to preserve her children's teeth?. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the University of Toronto, Harry A Abbott Dentistry Library, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harry A Abbott Dentistry Library, University of Toronto.

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    teeth cannot be made to touch each other, and the spring, by gentle pressure, which is contnmous, forces the misplaced tooth into the right position in the arch. There is so httle pain from this process that a child rarely speaks of it, but only of the inconvenience of a foreign substance m the mouth, and only that for the first day or two. I quote again, from the former work, some remarks which the parent, as well as the dentist, should pay attention to in these cases :— With this simple apparatus the work can be done very quickly; in some cases that I have treated, the tooth has moved an eightli of an inch in a week ; but it is never advisable to undertake these cases, unless we are sure ot the hearty co-operation of parents and child, else we may be m many ways thwarted in our endeavours. There is not much pain, but the tooth becomes a little sore, and the plate is removed at once ; or the child cannot eat with such a clumsv thing in the mouth, and it is laid aside at meal times; the consequence is that no progress is made, because five minutes without the plate may undo the work of twenty-four hours. It is the wisest course Hhuply to point out the fault, and show how it can be remedied, and then, if tlie parents are eager to have it done, it is easy enougli to do it ; l)ut if the dentist is the only person who feels any interest m these matters, very little good will result from his efforts. These cases are very simple, and easily managed if they are attended to at once ; but if they are left until the permanent canines (or what are usually called eye teeth) make their appearance it is
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