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Saturated Solution of Salt as a Dentifrice
1006
TH E JOURNAL OF TH E N ATION AL DENTAL ASSOCIATION.
“ u” shaped incision. I do not think this is necessary and a straight incision onehalf inch to either side of the tooth to be operated upon will give ample room and
F igu re 2.
the circulation of the flap will not be in terfered with as much as in a “u” shaped incision. There seems to be considerable differ
SATU RATED
ence of opinion as to the method of seal ing the stamp. I do not know who is the originator of the following method, but it was first brought to my attention by Dr. Chas. A. Griffith, of Minneapolis. After the apex of the root has been re moved and the stump polished with Mil ler stones, a cavity is cut with an in verted cone bur in the end of the stump, and an amalgam filling inserted, effectu ally sealing it. Before the operation, the alloy and mercury are weighed and placed in a rubber finger stall, then a rubber band adjusted tightly about the open end; this is then sterilized with the rest of the in struments, and when ready for use is quickly mixed. I do not believe we ever get a re attachment of the tissues to the stump of the root, but if the operation is car ried thru in a thoroly aseptic man ner, it is my opinion, that the stump will be tolerated by the surrounding tissue, just the same as are plates, screws, wires, etc., used by the general surgeon in his bone work.
S O L U T IO N O F DENTIFRICE.
SALT
AS
A
By Dr. Martin Williams, W heaton, Minnesota. I have been experimenting with a sat urated solution of salt water and also with pure salt used with the tooth brush for brushing the teeth and gums, and am greatly surprised at the wonderful re sults obtained. My attention was called to this treat ment about a year ago by several of my patients whose mouths were in the pink of condition. On inquiry, I found that they used salt water or in some cases pure salt with the tooth brush, doing the work thoroly. Since then, after scaling the teeth and suggesting the usual hy giene of the mouth, I advise all of my
patients to use a saturated solution of salt water or to dip the moistened brush in fine salt and brush the teeth and gums (up and down) twice daily, and am grat ified by the splendid results. It will tone up and harden the gums, keep the teeth free from deposits to a great extent and will do more to cure pyorrhea than the usual treatment given. In cases of chronic pyorrhea, I give the emetin treatment, internally, in conjunction with the use of the salt water or pure salt. While emetin seems to be of great ben efit at least temporarily, the use of the
O RAL HYGIENE.
salt treatment will prevent the recur rence of the disease. I will cite two cases under my observa tion. Case 1— Mrs. A., age 45, teeth cov ered with tartar and slightly loose, gums badly inflamed and bleeding to the slight est touch. I removed deposits very thor oly and advised the emetin treatment with antiseptic mouth washes. I did not see patient for six months and to my great surprise the teeth and gums were
1007
in a perfect condition. Patient did not use the treatment I had suggested but used a saturated solution of salt water twice daily. Case 2—Mr. H., Age 42, presented with gums inflamed, bleeding easily, teeth slightly loose. I cleaned the teeth and advised him to brush his teeth with pure salt, and in three months the teeth were firm in the sockets and the gums in a perfect condition.
EX C E R P T S—D IET A N D T H E T O O T H B R U SH . By A . W . Crosby, D. D. S., New Haven, Conn.
Pickerill says, summing up the results of investigations among Asians, Africans, Europeans and Americans: “ We find that the number of persons affected with dental caries who live under uncivilized or ‘natural’ conditions is comparatively small, varying from 1 to 20.8 per cent, while in civilized modern races the per centage is as high as So per cent.” D IE T .
The question is one that interests the orthodontist keenly. He feels that he is under a moral obligation to leave the teeth in at least as good condition after treatment as they would have been after the same lapse of time if treatment had not been undertaken. He can do this if he has the cooperation of the parents or nurse. How? By the regulation of the child’s diet and reasonably careful atten tion to prophylaxis. Pickerill, Wallace, and others claim that a well-balanced diet and taking care of the carbohydrate food element will well-nigh make the mouth self-cleansing, and will absolutely prevent further rav ages of caries if the teeth are once put in good condition.
TH E PRESENT ACCEPTED TH EO R Y O F T H E E T IO L O G Y O F C A R IE S .
What is the present accepted theory of caries? (1) That the organisms of the mouth, by the secretion of an enzyme—or by their own matabolism— so act upon car bohydrate food material as to form acids by a process of fermentation. The chief acid formed is lactic, altho butyric, ace tic, formic, succinic, and'other acids may also be formed. (2) Carbohydrate food material lodg ing between or on the teeth is the source of acid which attacks the lime salts of the enamel, dissolving the interprosmatic cement substance. Thus by action of the acid by the force of mastication the en amel is destroyed or weakened, and re moved mechanically. (3) The action of the micro-organisms of the mouth upon protein material is to form an excess of alkaline substances, which have no action upon the enamel other than a beneficial one. (4) The enamel being penetrated, the solution of lime salts of the dentin is brought about in the same manner, the
TH E JOURNAL OF TH E N ATION AL DENTAL ASSOCIATION.
“ u” shaped incision. I do not think this is necessary and a straight incision onehalf inch to either side of the tooth to be operated upon will give ample room and
F igu re 2.
the circulation of the flap will not be in terfered with as much as in a “u” shaped incision. There seems to be considerable differ
SATU RATED
ence of opinion as to the method of seal ing the stamp. I do not know who is the originator of the following method, but it was first brought to my attention by Dr. Chas. A. Griffith, of Minneapolis. After the apex of the root has been re moved and the stump polished with Mil ler stones, a cavity is cut with an in verted cone bur in the end of the stump, and an amalgam filling inserted, effectu ally sealing it. Before the operation, the alloy and mercury are weighed and placed in a rubber finger stall, then a rubber band adjusted tightly about the open end; this is then sterilized with the rest of the in struments, and when ready for use is quickly mixed. I do not believe we ever get a re attachment of the tissues to the stump of the root, but if the operation is car ried thru in a thoroly aseptic man ner, it is my opinion, that the stump will be tolerated by the surrounding tissue, just the same as are plates, screws, wires, etc., used by the general surgeon in his bone work.
S O L U T IO N O F DENTIFRICE.
SALT
AS
A
By Dr. Martin Williams, W heaton, Minnesota. I have been experimenting with a sat urated solution of salt water and also with pure salt used with the tooth brush for brushing the teeth and gums, and am greatly surprised at the wonderful re sults obtained. My attention was called to this treat ment about a year ago by several of my patients whose mouths were in the pink of condition. On inquiry, I found that they used salt water or in some cases pure salt with the tooth brush, doing the work thoroly. Since then, after scaling the teeth and suggesting the usual hy giene of the mouth, I advise all of my
patients to use a saturated solution of salt water or to dip the moistened brush in fine salt and brush the teeth and gums (up and down) twice daily, and am grat ified by the splendid results. It will tone up and harden the gums, keep the teeth free from deposits to a great extent and will do more to cure pyorrhea than the usual treatment given. In cases of chronic pyorrhea, I give the emetin treatment, internally, in conjunction with the use of the salt water or pure salt. While emetin seems to be of great ben efit at least temporarily, the use of the
O RAL HYGIENE.
salt treatment will prevent the recur rence of the disease. I will cite two cases under my observa tion. Case 1— Mrs. A., age 45, teeth cov ered with tartar and slightly loose, gums badly inflamed and bleeding to the slight est touch. I removed deposits very thor oly and advised the emetin treatment with antiseptic mouth washes. I did not see patient for six months and to my great surprise the teeth and gums were
1007
in a perfect condition. Patient did not use the treatment I had suggested but used a saturated solution of salt water twice daily. Case 2—Mr. H., Age 42, presented with gums inflamed, bleeding easily, teeth slightly loose. I cleaned the teeth and advised him to brush his teeth with pure salt, and in three months the teeth were firm in the sockets and the gums in a perfect condition.
EX C E R P T S—D IET A N D T H E T O O T H B R U SH . By A . W . Crosby, D. D. S., New Haven, Conn.
Pickerill says, summing up the results of investigations among Asians, Africans, Europeans and Americans: “ We find that the number of persons affected with dental caries who live under uncivilized or ‘natural’ conditions is comparatively small, varying from 1 to 20.8 per cent, while in civilized modern races the per centage is as high as So per cent.” D IE T .
The question is one that interests the orthodontist keenly. He feels that he is under a moral obligation to leave the teeth in at least as good condition after treatment as they would have been after the same lapse of time if treatment had not been undertaken. He can do this if he has the cooperation of the parents or nurse. How? By the regulation of the child’s diet and reasonably careful atten tion to prophylaxis. Pickerill, Wallace, and others claim that a well-balanced diet and taking care of the carbohydrate food element will well-nigh make the mouth self-cleansing, and will absolutely prevent further rav ages of caries if the teeth are once put in good condition.
TH E PRESENT ACCEPTED TH EO R Y O F T H E E T IO L O G Y O F C A R IE S .
What is the present accepted theory of caries? (1) That the organisms of the mouth, by the secretion of an enzyme—or by their own matabolism— so act upon car bohydrate food material as to form acids by a process of fermentation. The chief acid formed is lactic, altho butyric, ace tic, formic, succinic, and'other acids may also be formed. (2) Carbohydrate food material lodg ing between or on the teeth is the source of acid which attacks the lime salts of the enamel, dissolving the interprosmatic cement substance. Thus by action of the acid by the force of mastication the en amel is destroyed or weakened, and re moved mechanically. (3) The action of the micro-organisms of the mouth upon protein material is to form an excess of alkaline substances, which have no action upon the enamel other than a beneficial one. (4) The enamel being penetrated, the solution of lime salts of the dentin is brought about in the same manner, the