Vitality Supreme

CHAPTER XI: Preserving the Teeth Health to a large extent depends upon the teeth. Food can not be properly masticated without sound molars. The modern tendency of teeth to decay early in life clearly proves that something is wrong with our dietetic or chewing habits. Like any other part of the body, the teeth must be exercised in order to be properly preserved. Our foods are so frequently macerated to a fine consistency and they are so often cooked to a mush before they are eaten, that the teeth have little to do. They decay and become soft or brittle because of lack of use. It is necessary to give the teeth a reasonable amount of regular use. Cultivate the habit of eating zwieback, hard crackers or other hard food substances that require real vigorous chewing. If this is difficult, then make a habit of exercising the teeth in some way. The idea suggested in the illustrations accompanying this chapter will be found of value, though any method can be recommended that serves the same purpose. Do not, however, depend upon the chewing of gum for hours each day as a means of exercising the teeth. Chewing a hard gum for a few minutes after a meal might be of advantage, but continual gum- chewing wastes and weakens the digestive elements of the saliva. In other words, if you sit down to a meal after chewing gum for two or three hours, the saliva that you mix with your food will not have the normal digestive elements. One might say that the "strength" of the saliva has been lost while chewing gum.