Hygienic Care of the Mouth.
By A. M. H.
THE mouth of even the healthiest person is anything but wholesome on waking in the morning, and it is not enough to brush the teeth and tongue, tho this is important; the mouth should be given hygienic care as part of the morning toilet. Neglect will not only cause the teeth to decay, but will make the gums weak and unhealthy. Nothing should interfere with the morning grooming, and the thoro brushing, just before going to bed. Early neglect is the chief reason why ugly teeth are so frequently seen. If a mother wants her children to form habits of personal cleanliness, she must provide them with the articles necessary to a refined toilet, especially a good tooth-brush and good tooth-powder. Teach them never to crack nuts or bite thread with their teeth. The mouth and gums can be kept in a healthy condition by washing the mouth out every night and morning with a strong solution of borax water, and some of the solution gargled as far down the throat as possible. Thrush is a disease of the mouth, common to bottle-fed or delicate children, and this can be prevented by wiping the mouth out often with a lotion made of one half ounce of boric acid and one pint of water. For canker in the mouth, burn borax on the stove, and then powder, adding a little sugar. Sprinkle or blow on the cankered parts. Decayed teeth mar the beauty of the face, no matter how fair. They not only cause much suffering, but are a menace to good health. See to it that you use only a pure antiseptic powder, also that after each cleansing all of the powder is rinsed away. This careful rinsing of the mouth is specially beneficial when the saliva has a tendency to acidity, to prevent the accumulation of tartar.