and tartar rarely
accumulates. Where there is any stomach disorder, however, very great
care must be taken to avoid a number of unpleasant symptoms associated
with the gradual deterioration of the teeth. If the various suggestions
I have made in this volume for maintaining superior health are followed
with a reasonable amount of care, and the tooth brush is used regularly,
in addition to proper attention being given to thorough mastication, the
teeth should be retained as long as there is use for them. Remember,
however, the very important suggestion made in another chapter in
reference to the value of fruit acid in cleansing the mouth and teeth.
If you will rinse the mouth out at frequent intervals with the juice
of an orange or eat part or all of an orange, you will be
surprised at the cleansing influence of this acid fruit. Almost any
acid fruit will be of value, but the orange is perhaps the best for this
purpose. The free use of water to insure alimentary cleanliness together
with the acid fruit habit will form a very superior insurance for our
teeth.

Finally, and of not least importance, the character of the diet has a
great influence on the teeth. You cannot keep the teeth sound and
strong if the foods you eat do not contain the material out of which
teeth are built. If the food elements that build teeth and bone are
lacking, you cannot expect the teeth to last long. A great hue and cry
has been raised about the poor teeth of the school children of to-day,
and an effort is being made to teach the children to brush their
teeth. Of course this is good as far as it goes, but it does not go far
when the children are fed upon a diet that is defective. When you find
the child of a poor family given a diet of little more than white bread
and coffee you can absolutely depend upon it that his teeth are
crumbling and decaying. No other result is possible, no matter if the
greatest of care is used to keep the teeth well brushed and clean.

Therefore, my remarks in another chapter upon the influence of refined
foods will apply particularly in the case of the teeth. A
satisfactory supply of lime in the diet is especially necessary for
building teeth and bone. Whole-wheat bread will supply the material for
building sound teeth, while oatmeal and other whole grain foods are
almost equally satisfactory for this purpose.

Some women lose their teeth rapidly as a result of pregnancy, because
the diet