DENTITION
The age at which the child begins to cut teeth varies greatly in
the different individuals with no apparent reason. There are twenty
deciduous or milk teeth and they make their appearance in the
following order and at an average time as shown in the data. From
six to eight months of age the lower central incisors appear. The
four upper incisors do not appear until from the seventh to the
tenth month; then the two lower lateral incisors and four anterior
molars come through between the tenth and fourteenth month. From a
year and a half to two years of age the four canines put in their
appearance, and from two years to two and a half the four posterior
molars. This completes the set. By the time a child is one year of
age he should have six teeth; at the age of one and a half years,
twelve teeth; at two years, sixteen teeth; and by the time he is two
and a half years of age he should have the entire set of twenty. The
table below gives the order in which the deciduous teeth appear and
the approximate time when they may be expected. This time is subject
to great variation. This variation does not necessarily indicate an
abnormality. In some children the teeth appear much earlier than in
others. The appearance of the first teeth may be as late as the tenth
month in perfectly healthy children. However, if the delay is too
great attention should be given the child.
6 to 8 months of age the two lower central incisors.
7 to 10 ” ” ” the four upper incisors.
10 to 14 ” ” ” two lateral incisors, four anterior molars.
16 to 24 ” ” ” four canines.
22 to 30 ” ” ” the four posterior molars.
Normal children cut their teeth without any very severe symptoms. If
the child is below normal, or if there are meric zones in which the
structures are not receiving a sufficient amount of mental impulses,
symptoms will be produced.
At the time of dentition many incoördinations may appear, not because
the process of cutting the teeth produces these conditions, but
because the process requires a great expenditure of internal energy
to produce the eruption of the teeth, hence at such times the forces
of the body are very heavily drawn upon. The force that might be used
in bringing about adaptation to other conditions must be used in this
process. If the child is normal the growth of the teeth will produce
no more symptoms than the growth of the nails. During the time
teeth are coming through the gums there may be increased salivation
and drooling and a tendency for the child to chew on the fingers.
Irritability and restlessness at night are very frequent symptoms. It
is quite common to have gastro-intestinal disturbances and especially
diarrhea.
In delicate and neurotic children all symptoms may be greatly
exaggerated and may become alarming. There may be fever and acute
indigestion. Diarrhea may become very severe and the child show
marked decrease in weight as a result. If the child is having
difficulty cutting the teeth it is evident that Innate Intelligence
is unable to get the forces to the periphery. In this case the child
should have immediate chiropractic attention. It is not uncommon
for a temperature to run during the time just before the teeth come
through the gums. In such cases a very careful analysis should
be made and the child adjusted regularly until the symptoms have
disappeared.
In the majority of cases when there is incoördination during the
process of dentition it will be found upon careful analysis that
there are conditions responsible for the symptoms other than
difficult dentition and they are only exaggerated by the dentition.
After the teeth have made their appearance care should be taken that
they are kept clean. This may be accomplished by washing the teeth
and mouth.
The eruption of the permanent teeth causes no great disturbance
and there are usually no symptoms connected with their appearance
other than a little discomfort locally. The appearance of the first
permanent teeth do not disturb any of the temporary teeth, since they
develop just posterior to them. These are the six-year-old molars.
Following these we find the incisors displacing the incisors of the
temporary teeth. Then comes the bicuspids taking the place of the
temporary molars. These are followed by the canines which displace
the canines of the temporary set. The next to appear are the second
and third molars which occupy a place back of the canines where room
has been made by the development of the jaw.
The following table is given to enable the student to get at a glance
an idea of the approximate age that the different permanent teeth
make their appearance.
6th year of age First molars just posterior to the temporary
molars.
7th ” ” ” First incisors displacing the former incisors.
8th ” ” ” Lateral incisors displacing the first lateral
incisors.
9th ” ” ” Bicuspids displacing the temporary molars.
11th ” ” ” Canines displacing the canines of the temporary
set.
14th ” ” ” Second molars appearing posterior to the first
permanent molars.
18th to 21st year Third molars or wisdom teeth posterior to second
permanent molars.
Hygiene of the Teeth
It should be remembered that these are the teeth that must serve the
child during his entire life and therefore should receive the best
of attention. Want of cleanliness is without doubt responsible for
much of the trouble with the teeth of children. This is especially
true among the poorer class of people and those who do not appreciate
the value of proper personal hygiene. Even before there are any
teeth the infant’s mouth should be washed and properly cleansed,
and attention should be given the teeth as soon as they appear. The
child should be taught early in life that it is very essential that
the teeth be washed and cleaned regularly. Before the child is old
enough to do this the nurse or attendant should do it for him. Food
permitted to remain between the teeth will soon decompose in the
temperature of the mouth, therefore care should be exercised that all
particles of food be removed as soon as possible. Decomposing food
has a very destructive effect upon the teeth and tends to destroy the
enamel due to the chemical reaction. When there are no subluxations
Innate will bring about an adaptation as far as possible, but it is
impossible to change the reaction of a chemical without neutralizing
it. Undoubtedly Innate does this in many instances, but it should not
be necessary for Innate to do this extra work when the filth may be
removed educationally.
Lack of cleanliness is entirely too prevalent among some classes of
people and it will be found that children who have not had the proper
care of the teeth will suffer more or less with dental caries. The
common belief that many conditions and incoördinations are caused
from the teeth has been proven erroneous by Chiropractic, but the
chiropractor should recognize the necessity for the proper care of
the teeth and when they are in need of attention the patient should
be sent to a dentist. Poor teeth interferes with mastication and
prevents the food being properly prepared for gastric digestion.
Severe nervous symptoms may arise from toothache.
It must be remembered that proper hygienic methods alone are not
sufficient to preserve the teeth in perfect condition. The teeth
may be kept strictly clean and yet they decay, as a result of
subluxations causing interference with the transmission of mental
impulses. If the teeth are decaying the child should be given a
thorough analysis and the subluxations should be adjusted. However,
the chiropractor does not take the place of the dentist. The child
should be taken periodically to the dentist to have the teeth
examined and any defects attended to; likewise he should be taken
regularly to the chiropractor to have his subluxations adjusted.
Adjustments during Dentition
Most excellent results may be obtained in difficult dentition from
chiropractic adjustments. The major for the local condition is
M.C.P., but if there are accompanying conditions such as diarrhea
or indigestion, the combination will include the zones that may be
involved. If there are gastric symptoms then we will include an S.P.;
if the intestinal tract is involved then it will be necessary to
adjust a lumbar. There are some cases that require adjustments at
K.P. During dentition the child should be taken to the chiropractor
for an analysis and should receive adjustments to keep him in a
healthful condition. Certainly it is much better to have the child in
perfect health during the time the teeth are appearing for under the
most favorable conditions the cutting of the teeth is very trying on
the child. The idea that cutting the teeth is responsible for many
abnormal symptoms in children is very old, but it is now generally
conceded that the eruption of the teeth in the healthy child will
cause no disturbance in his health.