METROPOLITAN

FIRST EDITION.

NEW YORK:

THE LIPS, TEETH AND BREATH.

WHEN soft red lips guard pearly gates through which comes a breath whose purity is almost fragrance, then, indeed, is a face attractive whether it be beautiful or not. More than any other feature, the mouth continuously records the varying conditions of the mind. The lips curve slightly upward in reflection of a serene and sunny disposition, or droop sullenly under the shadows of a morose and surly temperament. Concealment is quite impossible; and good or bad traits alike register their successive reigns upon this mobile feature, whose doors may be made ever lovely by a proper cultivation of all the graces of the soul. When one smile follows another the lips soon take on the curve of Cupid's bow; but when a mental struggle sends out frowns and lowering looks, the lips curve downward at the corners and soon hang in a sullen pout which becomes their acquired and habitual expression. In the first instance, the very teeth behind the merry curved lips seem to smile as they gleam and shine; but when hanging, pouting lips are drawn back from or over them, the pearly guardians seem like fangs that are ready to tear or crush an offending obstacle. Of course, a casual observer may not be thus impressed; but if she makes the features a study, whimsical imaginings will often go hand in hand with her reasonable speculations as to the character of the indi-

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WHAT THE MOUTH MAY INDICATE. 329

vidual whose features she is analyzing. She cannot help associating thin lips and gleaming teeth with a refined cruelty or a coldness of disposition; nor heavy lips and long, yellowish-white teeth with ferocious and brutal instincts that may be, however, under complete subjection; nor thinking that the pretty girl yonder who has red, irregular lips closing over snowy teeth that are as sharply pointed as grains of rice, is selfish and cruel; nor- fancying that the full, red lips and regular white teeth of the sweet girl opposite indicate a lovable disposition and a mind free from petty jealousies and spites; and when she laughs how those rosy bows curve upward to tell of the cheery heart which beats in happy throbs, day in and day out! All this may seem idle speculation, but more often than not the deductions prove correct. The faults and failings may lie deeply under the veneer of cultivation, but they are there, and when a jostling of elbows in the daily routine chips off a bit of the veneer, through the disintegration will peer whichever unlovely trait has been awakened by the shock. Many are the indications of the lips as to character and mind, but it is not our province to chronicle them, but to suggest the means by which any mouth, whatever its shape or defects may be improved and made more attractive. When once the lips have assumed a given form, it is difficult to change their shape; and from their very mobility they may be deformed or disfigured by some of the ordinary habits of every day life. While we do not desire to discourage laughter, that voice from a merry heart, it is but fair to our readers to state that immoderate or excessive laughter will destroy the contour of the mouth and produce wrinkles, since it constantly stretches

the muscles and thus relaxes them. A smile produces less tension, and in general is considered " better form " in the expression of amusement than an uproarious laugh. But the smile which is simply a meaningless grin or grimace is something to be avoided, as it is vacuous and transmits a corresponding expression to the face and mouth. Such a grin without gladness was called sardonic by the ancients who supposed it to be produced by eating the poisonous herb sardonica. It cannot be said but that such a grin is the result of poison, but of a kind which emotionless individuals carry in their hearts with which to relax the features when occasion demands at least the semblance of gladness

The habit of "making mouths," which seems natural in children but is extremely objectionable among adults, is another source of disfigurement. In children this habit can and should be corrected, and especially when in a spirit of rivalry as to who shall excel in the pastime, a child inserts its fingers and stretches its lips out of every semblance of beauty or natural shape. The habit of testing the holding capacity of the mouth should also be prevented; for it is not unusual to see a child attempt to put more into its mouth, both in eating and play, than the size of the latter will warrant or its muscles comfortably permit, and this strain upon the muscles will distort the shape of the mouth far more effectually than laughing.

Sucking or biting the lips to make them red causes them to become coarse and thick, and this habit should not be indulged in unless possibly, the lips are very thin and they may in this manner be made a little fuller by the increased flow of blood to the mouth, which this suction occasions. We have previously, incidentally mentioned

the effect of another habit of childhood-that of sucking the thumbs and fingers. It should be overcome as it is sure to interfere with the natural development of the lips. When there is an excessive growth of the upper lip, in girls, it may usually be traced to a scrofulous tendency in their constitutions. The lip may puff out to twice its natural thickness and be quite hard; and its veins may be large but there will be little or no pain. It is an obstinate difficulty but can be cured if a skillful surgeon is called in time.

There is a deformity of the upper lip made apparent only when the individual laughs ; then the lip appears as if turning inside out and shows a fold or crease of the red mucous membrane lining it. The effect is unsightly and fatal to good looks; and by a simple and comparatively painless operation it can be cured

"Hare-lips " or those cleft from the nostril entirely through, like the lips of hares or rabbits, can be remedied. though not without leaving some trace The necessary surgery should be done as early in life as possible With children the best time is when they are five or six months old, or between two or three years of age.

Lips are often pale and faded, rough, or puffed and purple The first two indicate a weakened constitution, a feeble circulation or an anaemic condition of the blood and either of the three debilities require the attention of a physician whose directions should be obeyed. otherwise the arches around the pearly gates are likely to remain tintless unless artificial aid in the shape of rouge or coloring matter is called into requisition, and this is not advisable though permissible. A cayenne-pepper 

lozenge moistened and rubbed over pale lips will bring the blood to them temporarily; but for a more lasting effect the alkanet stain recommended for the finger-tips in the previous chapter will produce a durable and pretty color. Carmine is not poisonous, but its intensity of color requires that it shall be very carefully applied. Liquid rouge for the lips, a hard deposit of color on a tiny porcelain plate called "pink saucer," and any number of colored lip-salves may be purchased ; but the alkanet stain already mentioned, either in liquid form or incorporated with wax and spermaceti to form a cream; or pure carmine mixed with any of the simple creams for which formulae are given will provide all the color necessary, and include no injurious ingredients. Be discriminate in applying color to the lips; too much of it vulgarizes the whole face.

Lips that are obstinately dry, brown and cracked indicate some disorder of the system, and no lip-salves or unguents alone will soften them and restore them to their natural color. Puffed and purple lips are frequently seen when there is a consumptive tendency or some heart trouble present.

The lips are doubly sensitive by reason of the heated breath which passes through them, and their contact with the cold wind or frosty air which greets them from the outside, and therefore they require some extra care and attention to keep them in a healthy condition. A good colorless lotion to apply before going out or upon going to bed, is made of

Individuals prone to constant roughness of the lips should provide themselves with some good salve or cream, either made at home or compounded by the druggists, and use a little of it every night and morning during the winter; and its effect will be materially assisted by bathing the lips before anointing them, with a solution of borax or alum and water—say a tea-spoonful of either to a tumbler of water.

Pure glycerine—that is chemically pure, beaten with lard or castor oil makes an excellent ointment, and no remedy is better than camphor ice or the old fashioned one of mutton tallow, unless it may be benzoated ointment of oxide of zinc, which may be obtained in small quantities at any drug store.

When the broken places on chapped lips refuse to heal, the cause may be due to a species of canker. Of this the physician is the best judge and he can quickly heal it with caustic; but on no account whatever should this remedy be self-applied. After an application of caustic the lips may be washed with borax or salt and water.

Melt and throw in a piece of alkanet root to color it, and when cooling perfume it with a few drops of any favorite oil or extract. Another old remedy which may be procured at the druggists is citron ointment, which is to be applied with the finger-tips or a soft linen cloth.

Sometimes a moist red spot, inclined to crust over and be rough and also tender, will form at the corners of the

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mouth. This is generally the result of an acidity of the saliva which comes from indigestion. Rinsing the mouth several times daily with bi-carbonate of soda and water will allay the irritation, and with a use of the following ointment often cure it:

Should this treatment fail to remove the spots, the digestive functions should be looked after by a medical practitioner.

Remedies for fever blisters were given in the chapter on colds, as the former tormentors are generally closely allied with the latter, though they frequently arise from acute indigestion. They do not need to be repeated here, though we again caution you not to unduly rub or irritate the little blisters or spots. In applying the lotions "dabble " them on, and very gently rub in or on any of the emollients or unguents. Do not attempt to use a hard ointment or mutton tallow without first warming it until softened. The lips are very sensitive and it is therefore very imprudent to use cups, goblets, towels, napkins or anything that has been used by others which is likely to come in contact with the lips, for diseases of various and frightful characters can be and have been thus contracted. Nor does it seem out of place to here say a word of the practice of indiscriminate kissing. It is true that the custom is a natural one ; but it is too generally adopted not only between the sexes but without any apparent judgment. Children are often real victims of osculation, and polite mothers reprove the very

evident distaste with which their little ones submit their pretty mouths, while within their heart of hearts they indorse their children's objections. Why can they not be bold and say : " We have taught our little ones to receive kisses upon their foreheads and cheeks only, because our physician tells us the practice of kissing on the mouth is unhealthful." That could certainly hurt no one's feelings and it might protect the children from deplorable results. A physician well known to the writer would not permit his little daughter to be kissed upon her mouth by any one, and especially those of his own sex. It is not necessary to fully explain his theory. It can be inferred, and who will not admit that it is more than reasonable, when there are numerous recorded instances of the transmission of disease in this way—and disease of any kind means destruction to happiness and beauty.

THE TEETH.

Much has been written and said concerning the care of the teeth, and in many instances the statements are extreme. One of them—that the condition of the teeth depends wholly on the care given them—is arbitrary and untrue. As a matter of cleanliness and a means of aiding the preservation and enhancing the beauty of teeth, unceasing daily attention should be bestowed upon them; but even under these ministrations teeth will decay, lose their color and become useless, while frequently may be seen rows of strong, white, sound teeth which have never had even a passing acquaintance with brushes or dentifrices. Their tendency to want of strength is constitutional, unless they have been abused by being made to serve as nut-crackers or having

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some equally abnormal task forced upon them. Their color too, if dark, may result from the use of iron as a medicine, or from an acid condition of the stomach, and all the brushing, and cleaning and polishing that can be given them will not restore it to its original whiteness. There are also teeth which are waxen-white or of the yellower, ivory tint. The former have pearly, transparent edges, indicate a delicate constitution and like it are frail and soon doomed to decay. The latter are strong and generally belong to a person of a vigorous constitution, but no amount of scouring or brushing will ever bleach them to a whiteness that is not natural to them.

If then, in trying the powders and dentifrices recommended in this chapter, there is no improvement in the color of the teeth it will be undoubtedly proved that the teeth are constitutionally yellow, or that they have been discolored by medicine or by the condition of the stomach. If darkened by iron there will be no hope of reestoring the color without destroying the enamel which protects and preserves the teeth ; for iron assimilates with the blood and the latter, traversing every minute vein and vessel, communicates the coloring matter of the iron to the bones and tissues; and the teeth are bony substances covered only by a thin shell of transparent so-called enamel which allows the action of the light to darken any iron that may be present in their bony structure. And while the taking of iron through a glass or porcelain tube or a straw prevents it from discoloring the outer surface of the enamel, the method will not wholly prevent discoloration from the reason just mentioned—the assimilation of the iron with the blood which leaves the coloring matter under the enamel.

Unprincipled dentists will " bleach " your teeth, using strong acids and gritty powders for the purpose, but you will pay a high price for your vanity ; for while they may look better for a time the enamel will be destroyed or so injured that the teeth will be sensitive, soon decay, and in fact be completely ruined. At least so say honest dentists. The latter will also tell a patient whose teeth are discolored beyond remedy : " We can brighten up your teeth and remove the tartar, but we cannot whiten them much without destroying their only protection—the enamel." , .

Such patients must therefore submit to the inevitable and console themselves as best they may by cleaning and "brightening" their teeth, grooming them as they would the rest of their persons, and resting in serene security upon the fact that they have clean, sweet mouths and fragrant breaths.

Good or bad teeth are generally an inheritance; and therefore if succeeding generations are to have better teeth than the present one a beginning of the foundation for them must be made, by properly caring for and strengthening, if possible, the teeth of children. Parents often neglect or seem indifferent to the very visible dental defects of their children, and adopt no means of prevention or remedy, and the child of such parents is unfortunate indeed, for it will not only be a sufferer all its life, but when arrived at maturity may and most likely will transmit to its own offspring all its individual deficiencies in this respect.

Teeth degenerate through improper food imperfectly masticated; and they can be nourished through proper aliments and thorough mastication. Teeth were given

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us for use, and if their mission is not fully accomplished, they wax weak from a lack of work which they compel the stomach to finish and so wear out the latter as well.Regarding tooth-nourishing foods a popular writer pertinently remarks:"French and English children, as a rule, choose the crust of bread rather than the crumb, while the average small American clamors for the soft inner parts. Now the crust is just as nourishing as the crumb and is sweeter to the taste ; and as the crust contains more carbon the longer it is baked, it is most beneficial to persons troubled with acid stomachs. Besides, if only soft foods are eaten, the teeth will not become fine, or, at least, will not remain shapely and strong. They are made to perform a certain amount of active labor, and without this natural exercise they deteriorate in quality, become less firm in their settings and grow too long. It is said the reason American children prefer soft bread and soft foods generally is because they have sensitive teeth, but should we not reverse the reasoning and say that the soft foods cause defective teeth ? "

In selecting meats for their children tender mothers choose those that can be easily eaten, thereby encouraging the disuse of the teeth and their consequent deterioration. Give a child food that requires plenty of chewing and see that the latter is done, promptly suppressing any inclination on the part of the child to swallow its food in lumps. The sirloin is far preferable to the tenderloin in the matter of steaks, for it not only compels a greater use of the teeth but is really far more nourishing in other ways than the tenderloin, though this fact does not seem to be generally known. Dentists

A DENTIST'S CARE ADVISABLE. 339

gravely assert that unless children are compelled to more thoroughly masticate their food, the time is not so very far distant, counted by generations, when the human race will be toothless—made so because the teeth of the present generation are rapidly degenerating from lack of use.

It is well to confide the teeth of a child to a dentist, and allow him to " bring them up in the way they should go." If he is skilled in his profession and looks after the little teeth once a month, the child will undoubtedly have good and even teeth and enjoy an immunity from many a toothache or the excruciating pain of neuralgia in after years. It is during the tender years of a child that irregular teeth may be straightened without much pain, and when one thinks of the disfigurements that might have been avoided by putting a child under the care of a dentist, one can scarcely be too emphatic in advising such a course. By the time a child is seven years old it should have its twenty " baby teeth ; "and parents should not be in any hurry to extract them, but let them almost fall out of themselves. In this way a good strong foundation is insured for the second teeth. The latter, with the exception of the " wisdom teeth," which come sometimes as late as in the thirtieth year, should all—and there are twenty-eight of them—be in their proper places by the end of the thirteenth year. When the second teeth begin to appear, " four molars, two above and two below " arrive and frequently occasion a blunder. It is said of them :

" Being next back of temporary teeth the gum, if swollen, is protected, and these teeth, because giving little or no pain, are commonly supposed to belong, to the first set. For several reasons, none of which are far to seek, these molars are likely to decay early; hence the conclusion

that they are only temporary is more natural than intelligent, and thus they are usually allowed to take their own course, provided they cause no pain. But if these teeth are lost, the jaw narrows and becomes less symmetrical in shape, sometimes causing irregular articulation or an imperfect meeting of upper and under teeth that not only renders mastication difficult, but, by reason of an involuntary effort to chew food sideways, throws the jaw out of proper line and pushes the other teeth into irregular and unseemly positions.

" Teeth that are 'cut' when children are about seven years of age are not so hard as those which arrive later and naturally need much watching. As they usually stand close to teeth that are passing away and frequently come in contact with actual decay, the new and sensitive molars are likely to be seized with the same decomposing tendency, which, therefore, cannot be too speedily checked in the older teeth by means of skillfully applied fillings, thus preventing suffering and removing the cause of irregularities of later teeth that should, if properly treated, be of lifelong use."

It is a common error to suppose that the first teeth need little or no care because they are temporary. A baby's first teeth should be as regularly washed and cleansed morning and evening as those which come later. When a child has reached the age of two years, white silk floss, such as dentists use, should be drawn between the teeth just before bedtime every night; and if a tiny spot of decay appears a soft filling should be applied by a good dentist. With such care the baby teeth may remain until they are fairly pushed out by the stronger ones springing up from under them, and the sometimes

long period of hideous toothlessness seen in children whose first teeth have been too hastily drawn to make room for those which are not yet ready to appear, will be prevented.

If all this early care has not fallen to the lot of our readers in their childhood, that is no reason why they should not begin for themselves to render their mouth and teeth sweet and wholesome by daily care, and periodical visits to the dentist. There is no one who should not visit him at least twice a year to learn if any repairs are necessary; for on the same principle that a stitch in time saves nine," a cavity filled when it first appears will save later pain, some expense and what is of the highest importance, the tooth itself. People who do not realize the value of good teeth, each one of which is worth many times its weight in gold, allow them to decay until they cause intolerable pain and give forth a most offensive-odor, and then go to the dentist to have the root" dug out"; or when the first twinge of toothache comes from a tiny cavity they obstinately refuse to have the break repaired and the tooth made as good as ever but insist on having it drawn, mistaking the dentist's worthy dislike of despoiling them of a useful member to the unworthy motive of desiring to " make a big bill."

Misguided friends, do not be so distrustful '.The dentist only wishes to save for you what by and by you would give dollars to have back again in its place. It is almost a crime to have extracted a tooth which can be saved and in the present period there are few that the dentist cannot repair, and make more useful than any artificial ones he can supply. Save your teeth and take some comfort of them, even if it is at a small expenditure

of money, for of what use is the latter if you cannot enjoy the things it will buy you ?

If the teeth are properly cleansed every day they will not need polishing at any time, except in the effort to remove the stains communicated by ill health, medicines or food. When the brush will not do this, then take a bit of flannel, moisten and dip it in any of the powders or dentifrices for which recipes are given later on, and rub each tooth separately and vigorously, and after all are polished brush them in the usual manner to remove any polishing powder that may remain in the interstices.

Certain improper conditions of the stomach produce a saliva which aids in depositing a calcareous matter called tartar, on the teeth just under the edges of the gums, generally opposite the little ducts or channels which carry the saliva from the glands to the mouth. If allowed to remain it injures the teeth by loosening them, produces an undesirable redness of the mouth and causes an unpleasant breath. Dentists have properly fashioned implements for removing tartar, and are the only persons who should be permitted to attempt the removal of a thick deposit, as unaccustomed efforts in this direction would wound the gums and possibly break the teeth.

A preparation for removing tartar from the teeth that is used by dentists is here given, with the caution, however, that it must be applied only occasionally, and the mouth immediately washed well with water so that the acid will not act on the enamel.

Pure muriatic acid, . . . . 1 ounce.

Water, .... 1 ounce

Honey, 2 ounces.

INJURIOUS FOODS AND USES. 343

Mix thoroughly, wet a tooth-brush in the mixture and briskly rub the black teeth, and in a few moments they will become perfectly white. Be sure, however, to immediately thoroughly wash out the mouth with water.The enamel of a tooth is composed chiefly of lime and is very hard. Hot or cold drinks are liable to injure it, especially if taken alternately, and anything acid or sour corrodes or softens it, sometimes to the final destruction of the whole tooth. It is claimed by some that sweets are injurious, while just as good authorities do not prescribe their consumption provided they are eaten properly and are pure.

Sugar changes to an acid in the mouth ; therefore if candy is eaten slowly the acid has more time in which to injure the teeth. Pure cane-sugar candy or maple sugar are eaten in large quantities where they are produced and do not corrode the teeth, and of these sweets one may eat plenteously. Confections containing acids, such as sour-drops, lime-drops, tamarinds, etc., etc., contain tartaric or weak sulphuric acid which is seriously injurious to the teeth, and should not be eaten in any great quantity.

Teeth are much injured by using them to crack nuts, to bite off threads or to hold pins and needles with ; and they are hurt by transforming them into cork-screws, or a vise for holding small articles, pieces of muslin, etc., etc. In fact any purpose which creates a use for them outside their legitimate mission harms them to a greater or less extent.

Before brushing the teeth remove all foreign substances or deposits from their little lurking places, using a wooden tooth-pick which is the least injurious of all the various kinds unless it be a quill tooth-pick, since it will

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not break the enamel; but be sure it is of hard finished or smooth wood, so that no splinters will separate from it and imbed themselves in the gums. Chinese tooth-picks which are very small are smooth and round and have sharpened ends. They have two advantages,—that of being the best of the wooden species, and, though made by hand, of being very cheap. Orange wood tooth-picks are comparatively expensive, but are smooth and leave an agreeable taste in the mouth ; and ordinary wooden tooth- picks may be soaked in cologne or any perfume, much to their improvement as far as daintiness is concerned. White silk dentists' floss and dentists' thin rubber tape are considered better than tooth-picks, since they traverse spaces that cannot be reached by tooth-picks. They are to be drawn between every two teeth and of course cannot be used except in the privacy of one's own room. The floss is quite expensive and a good substitute for it is ordinary white button-hole twist; and the small rubber bands used for securing small parcels and found at any stationary store are quite as efficient as a dentist's tape.

It is erroneous to suppose that a large tooth brush is better than a small one for cleansing purposes. The small brush, slightly concave and with its bristles of uneven length so as to penetrate all interstices, is far more efficacious, and far less torturing. Neither should a brush be hard and unyielding, for then the proper pressure cannot be brought to bear upon the teeth without lacerating the gums and sometimes the lips. It should be stiff enough to remove all stains and deposits but soft enough to make the process painless. Both the outside and inside of the teeth should be brushed, and the motion should

PROPER DAILY CARE. 34;

be lengthwise of each tooth as well as crosswise, since the latter movement alone will not thoroughly cleans the teeth, and in time will affect scarcely perceptible but yet present ridges, just as constant dropping will create indentations in solid rock.

As polishers the various felt and sponge tooth brushes will do very well, but they will not do the work of a bristle brush which should be unremittingly used all the days in the year. Twice daily is not too often—and though custom has established the proper times as being immediately upon rising and on retiring, a moment reasoning consideration would fix the best times as after breakfast and the evening dinner. Then all particles food would be removed, and with a mouth wash before breakfast and upon retiring, upon either of which occasions the brush may also be used, there would be no room for the charge of an unclean, unwholesome mouth. Of course these suggestions are offered as opposed to custom, but being merely suggestions they can be adopted or rejected, just as the reader reasons out the theory.

There are many powders, dentifrices and mouthwashes offered for public use, and each claims super advantages. Those which are heralded as sure to whiten the teeth should be avoided, since they usually contain ingredients which eventually destroy teeth. The formula we here offer have been selected from the best authorities on the subject, and all of them are harmless.

Despite all that is and has been said against it charcoal certainly stands at the head of all tooth powders, the unless mixed with honey into a paste it is a little difficult to use from its light nature. The charcoal made

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from the areca nut which grows in Java, is probably the best in the world; but as the supply is limited willow charcoal extensively takes its place. To whiten and cleanse the teeth, purify the breath and stimulate the gums, it may be rubbed into the interstices of the teeth at night and thoroughly washed out in the morning. Another dentifrice of the nature of charcoal is the crusts of rye bread burned to a coal and powdered. It may be used plain or mixed with half the quantity of sugar and wet sufficiently to make a paste. Or one-fourth the quantity of honey may be used in place of the sugar, and then no water will be needed.

The principal ingredient of all tooth powders is chalk, either precipitated or prepared. The latter is not as white as the former but it possesses greater cleansing properties. Camphorated chalk is a favorite preparation, and is prepared after the following proportions :

Chalk, . . . . . . . 15 ounces.

Powdered camphor, .... 1 ounce.

This is a thoroughly good dentifrice, and may be made saponaceous by the addition of a little powdered Castile soap, which alone forms one of the best of dentifrices.

Another excellent camphorated powder is made of

Precipitated chalk, .... 7 drachms.

Powdered camphor, . . . . 1/2 drachm.

Powdered orris root, . . . . 1 drachm.

Or Castile soap and orris root, equal parts, will make a very cleansing, fragrant tooth-powder, and, if desired, an equal part of precipitated chalk may be added, the three ingredients forming a tooth-powder highly recommended

DESIRABLE DENTIFRICES. 347

by the doctors. Directly after taking any strong medicine thoroughly brush the teeth with Castile soap. An agreeable dentifrice is made from

Powdered green sage, . . 1 ounce.

Powdered myrrh, . . . 1 ounce.

White honey, .... 2 table-spoonfuls.

Wash the teeth with this mixture night and morning. For teeth that are decaying make a balsam of the following ingredients, mixing them with honey, and apply often :

Powdered myrrh, ..... 2 scruples.

Juniper gum, ...... 1 scruple.

Rock alum, ...... 10 grains.

A powder for whitening the teeth recommended by one of the highest authorities on the subject, is made as follows :

Red cinchona bark, ..... 1 ounce.

Armenian bole, ...... 1 ounce.

Cinnamon, ...... 1/2 ounce.

Bi-carbonate of soda, ..... 1/2 ounce.

0il of cinnamon, ..... 3 drops.

If it is desired to remove discoloration very rapidly, the following powder will effect the desired result, but it must not be used more than once or twice a week as it contains an objectionable ingredient—pumice-stone—which wears the enamel quickly.

Pumice-stone in impalpable powder, . 1 ounce.

Bi-carbonate of soda, . . 1/2 ounce.

Powdered talc, ..... 1/2 ounce.

Flavoring oil of some kind, . . a few drops.

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With the pumice-stone omitted this is a very excellent powder to use when the saliva is acid and the breath sour, and can be applied freely. The bi-carbonate of soda corrects the acidity and also possesses whitening properties. It is not infrequently used alone as a tooth powder with very good results. Another scouring powder is made of white Castile soap dried and powdered and sepia, also powdered. Take equal parts of each and mix to the consistency of paste with fresh rectified honey and add a few drops of the oil of teaberry (Gaultheria). This paste also must be used only occasionally, as the sepia will wear the enamel if frequently applied.

A remedy to use when the teeth have been stained by taking iron or medicines containing it, is made of the following ingredients:

Sugar of milk, ..... 2 ounces.

Tannic acid, ...... 1 ounce.

Red lake, ...... 1 drachm.

Oil of cloves, anise or teaberry, . . a few drops.

This preparation is highly recommended for occasional but not constant use.

A simple tooth powder for ordinary use is made of

Powdered chalk, .... 4 ounces.

Florentine iris, ..... 2 ounces.

Ottar of rose, . . . 1 or 2 drops.

When the gums are sore and spongy and are inclined to bleed, the following powder will be found healing and very soothing:

POWDERS AND WASHES. 349

Precipitated chalk, ..... 1 ounce.

Powdered borax, ..... 1 ounce.

Powdered myrrh, . . 1 ounce.

Powdered orris root, .... 1 ounce.

The myrrh is an astringent and strengthens and hardens the gums.

Another preparation for the latter purpose is composed of

Peruvian bark (coarsely powdered),. 1 ounce.

Brandy, . ....... 1 pint.

Steep the bark in the brandy for a fortnight, and then use it night and morning as a gargle, diluting the daily quantity with an equal amount of rose-water. A good liquid dentifrice is made of the following ingredients:

Aromatic vinegar, . . . . 1 tea-spoonful.

Powdered borax, . . . . 1 ounce.

Tincture of myrrh, . . . . 1 ounce.

Water, ...... 12 ounces.

Another lotion which is excellent for the teeth and and mouth is made of

Borax, ...... 2 ounces.

Hot water, ..... 1i quart.

Tincture of myrrh, . . . 1 tea-spoonful.

Spirits of camphor, . . . 1 tea-spoonful.

Dissolve the borax in the water and when nearly cold add the other ingredients, and bottle for use. Use a wine-glassful in a tumbler filled up with warm water, brushing the teeth and rinsing the mouth out with It. Still another powerful liquid dentifrice is made as follows ;

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Borax, powdered, .... 2 ounces.

Hot water, ..... 1 pint.

Tincture of myrrh, ... 2 ounces.

Spirits of camphor, . . . 1 table-spoonful.

Concentrated aromatic vinegar, . 1 ounce.

After cleaning decayed teeth with any of the usual powders, they may also, if the breath is offensive from them, be brushed inside and out with a wash made of a teaspoonful of concentrated solution of chloride of soda in a tumbler of water. Six to ten drops of this may also be taken in a wine-glassful of water if the breath is very offensive. In asking the druggist for this solution of soda be sure to inform him, if you wish to take it internally, that you intend doing so. Glycerine from its sweet taste and antiseptic properties is adapted to pastes or liquid dentifrices, and is extensively used for them; though those recommended in which honey is an ingredient, are better made as directed than with glycerine.

A good antiseptic tooth or mouth wash is made of

Glycerine of borax, .... 1 drachm.

Water, ....... 1 pint.

Another is composed of

Chlorate of potash, .... 4 drachms.

Water, ....... 1 quart.

Both may be used with a brush or as a gargle or in both ways, and will disinfect decayed teeth and sweeten the breath very noticeably.

A simple gargle for the same purpose is made of a few drops of spirits of camphor in a tumbler of tepid water—or water which is not ice cold.

HOW TO USE DENTIFRICES. 351

Tincture of myrrh may be used in the same way to harden the gums, or it may be rubbed on them with a soft flannel cloth or brushed on them with a camel's hair brush, where there is retrocession of the gums. By this is meant that condition of the gums where they recede from the teeth leaving the latter loose and sensitive. A dainty wash for the mouth is made of

Pure water, ...... 6 ounces.

Orange-flower water, .... 6 ounces.

Eau de Cologne, ..... 5 ounces.

Rinse the mouth several times after eating; or, add a few drops of cologne or toilet vinegar to a glass of water and thoroughly gargle the mouth and wash the teeth with it.

In using powders or pastes, be as careful to remove every particle of it from the teeth as though it were food; and in eating chew the latter upon both sides of the mouth, as tartar is said to accumulate much more rapidly where the teeth of one side only are used in the process of mastication. It will not be necessary to brush the teeth after each meal, especially if there are several meals during the day. Brush them at least twice and use rinsing lotions or washes, or even water after intermediate meals. If the supply of powder or paste should give out, make use of Castile, or some other fine soap until a dental reinforcement can be provided. Soap will not make an agreeable substitute so far as taste goes, but it is cleanly, and some of the whitest, prettiest teeth seen have never been cleaned or brushed with anything except Castile soap, with perhaps an occasional interruption of powdered charcoal.

352 BEAUTY.

Some teeth change in color from day to day, according to the condition of the stomach, just as the complexion does; and it behooves the gentle maidens who wish their pearly teeth to be always pure in tint, to evince some regard for their digestive organs and not overtax or throw them out of gear by an inordinate consumption of indigestible food or sweets. After eating the latter brush the teeth as soon as possible to remove the acid into which sugar is converted by the secretions of the mouth ; for acids destroy the enamel, and once that is injured the teeth have no longer a reliable fortification.

THE BREATH.

Ozaena is the medical name for the misfortune, which is really a disease, of an offensive breath. And how many afflicted in this manner compel others to become sufferers from association and contact, and yet seem to be utterly unconscious of it! Possibly it should be called a fault instead of a misfortune, for more often than not it is the result of personal neglect. The odor of a fetid breath generally discloses its cause ; and the latter is usually the lungs, stomach or teeth. When it comes from decaying lungs, the possessor of an offensive breath is to be commiserated, since it is well-known that a pulmonary disease is almost if not quite incurable. Therefore when the odor is of a sickening. sweetish character bear with its infliction as bravely as possible. When it is of an offensive sulphurous odor, have no hesitation in telling the person that she is in need of a corrective medicine, especially if you are on intimate or friendly terms with her. But when it is like that of decaying animal tissue, make sure whether it comes

A MALODOROUS BREATH. 353

from lack of attention to the teeth or from catarrhal troubles since both of these causes, separately or together, occasion the odor described; and when you have made sure tell the unfortunate individual emphatically or.ent'ly as the cause may warrant that his or her near presence is not agreeable and give the reason and any advice that may seem fitting to the occasion. This will require considerable bravery, since it seems to be a matter of general endurance founded on a false delicacy which prevents the same frankness in such matters that exists in other - quite as personal respects. One hears outspoken comments on blemishes of the complexion, ugly outlines or features and matters of dress, none of which give such offence to others as a malodorous breath. To be sure it may be a stranger who causes you to edge away cover your face with your handkerchief or turn to hide the spasm of nausea created by a full inhalation of a noxious exhalation and under such circumstances you are helpless. But if every sufferer from ozaena had a friend as frank as we advise each one of our readers to be in the matter, there would be more sweet breaths and less unhappmess in the world ; for it is most certain that a person with an offensive breath is an object of aversion, and that its possession has occasioned many an estrangement and prevented many happy associations. If it cannot be remedied the victim deserves sincere pity. If the individual is conscious of its existence and makes no attempt to remedy it she is deserving neither of pity nor tolerance; if she is unconscious of it then those with whom she comes in contact deserve none of the pity and all of the censure for keeping her in ignorance of a condition which would undoubtedly be as mortifying to her as it is repug-

354 BEAUTY.

nant to her friends. If she is informed, politely, of her misfortune and is offended thereby, she is a silly, foolish lass or woman. She should be as grateful, and more so, as if you were to tell her of any little defect in her toilet, which affects no one but herself and which by attention she could remedy, just as she can probably overcome a defect that makes her near presence an infliction upon all others and therefore affects more than herself. Now, if the cause of an offensive breath is the result of a decaying condition of the lungs, we can offer the sufferer nothing in the way of consolation except the deepest sympathy. If a catarrhal condition of the throat and head or a deranged condition of the stomach is the occasion of the taint, we emphatically advise the afflicted individual to seek the advice of a good physician and be thorough in following his advice and taking the remedies he prescribes. When decayed teeth occasion the fetid odor, lose no time in going to a good dentist for two reasons—to save your teeth and preserve your friends. You cannot exist happily without the latter and you cannot keep them if through a neglect of the former you become an object of aversion. Until you can have your teeth attended to, take particular pains to brush and disinfect them and your mouth as directed in the preceding portion of this chapter; and after the dentist has removed and prevented a furtherance of the decay, still pursue the cleanly habits in which all refined people indulge after eating, and which have been fully detailed for the especial benefit of all our readers. Even though your teeth are sound and white, and show no visible effects of a possible life-long neglect,

REMEDIES FOR A BAD BREATH. 355

your breath may be offensive just because your teeth are not clean though they are like ivory.

When an offensive breath is supposed to be due to the teeth or the secretions of the mouth, the following mouthwash will prove very efficacious, though it may slightly stain the teeth; but the discoloration may be removed with a brush. Take

Permanganate of potash, . . . . 1 grain.

Rose-water, .... . . 1 ounce.

Rinse the mouth every few hours with this mixture. If its taste is disagreeable, add a few drops of oil of peppermint or wintergreen. This wash is said to be much better than those containing chlorinated lime which attacks the enamel.

Another wash that is harmless is made of

Chlorate of potash, . . . . .2 drachms.

Rose-water, ...... 6 ounces.

Distilled water of any other flavor may be substituted for the rose-water. When strong medicines have affected the teeth and occasioned salivation or an approximate condition, an unpleasant odor generally arises from the mouth, and may be remedied by a frequent gargling of the mouth with salt and water. For a feverish breath a favorite remedy is charcoal in tablets—one being occasionally dissolved in the mouth.A few drops of lime-water or half-a-tea-spoonful of bi-carbonate of soda in a glass of water, used as a gargle, will neutralize the same unpleasantness. The camphor gargle is also excellent in such cases, and lemons, which are very purifying, give an aromatic fragrance to the breath.

356 BEAUTY.

It is asserted that bromo chloralum is an efficacious disinfectant for the breath, regardless of the physical cause of the odor. Dilute a little with eight or ten parts of water and gargle the mouth with it, also swallowing a few drops. If the stomach is foul, a wine-glassful of water containing three grains of chloride of lime (Calx chlorinata, U. S. P.) should be taken several times daily, with a light and digestible diet, and any irregularities in the habits must be corrected. A mixture of twenty grains of bisulphite of soda and water also has a corrective effect on an offensive breath from this cause. The individual who falls under the temptation of the odorous onion, chutney or any food leaving unpleasant reminders on the breath, and is afterward contrite, may render herself tolerable by carefully chewing a sprig of parsley, or a bit of orris root, or a few roasted coffee-grains, or drinking a glass of milk. The Canadian snake- root is also very highly recommended, and imparts a spicy aroma to the breath while it leaves a fresh, cool taste in the mouth. Any of the above are preferable to the commoner disguises such as cardamon seeds, cloves, allspice and calamus which are all suggestive of the bar-room, and might cast a wrongful suspicion upon anyone using them.

Popular and elegant disguises are in the form of cachous, troches or lozenges, and their principal ingredients are liquorice, catechu, charcoal, gum tragacanth and aromatic essential oils. Liquorice in itself is one of the best sweeteners of the breath and possesses the advantage of having but little odor of its own. It may be chipped into small pieces and kept on the dressing table for occasional or constant use. It is said, too, that a bit of

POPULAR PASTILES. 357

myrrh or burnt alum the size of a hazel-nut, taken at night, will keep the breath sweet.

Gray pastiles, a very old remedy for sweetening the breath, and which Madame Celnart advises all good wives to let their husbands know of as entirely removing the traces of tobacco in the breath, are made as follows:

Chlorate of lime. . .... 7 drachms.

Vanilla sugar, ..... 3 drachms.

Gum Arabic, ..... 5 drachms.

Mix to a stiff paste with warm water, roll out and cut into lozenges.

Another remedy in pastile form, said to be preferable to the above in some respects is made in a more elaborate manner as follows:

Chlorate of sodium, ..... 24 grains.

Powdered sugar. .....1 ounce

Gum adraganth, ..... 20 grains.

Essential oil (perfumers), .... 2 drachms.

Powder the chlorate in an earthen or glass mortar, pour a little water on it, let the mixture settle and pour off the water Repeat the process three times with fresh water, filtering the "pouring " each time ; then mix the gum and sugar and add the perfume last. Form into pastiles of any shape and size desired.

In using the mouth-washes recommended, five or six times daily will not be too often in extreme cases; though ordinarily two or three times will do. It is the same with these remedies as with all of those intended to improve the appearance-persistence, patience and system must govern their use. A desultory indulgence in them

358 BEAUTY.

will produce nothing but a very temporary result; and of all the minor afflictions which beset and offend, there is none so obnoxious as the one just discussed and none which should be more stubbornly combated, since it entails mortification and unhappiness for its possessor, and inflicts what is real physical suffering on the innocent individuals who are obliged to encounter it.

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