Or, after the ingredients have been rubbed up together in the mortar as finely as possible, the whole may be rubbed through a very fine gauze sieve to remove the coarser particles. As tooth powders contain absorbent substances, they should be kept in tightly closed wide-mouthed bottles when not in use.
Tooth Pastes.—Any of the ordi nary tooth powders may be put up in the form of pastes by reducing them to a very fine powder and mixing them with a little clarified honey or almond cream or simple sirup to a moderately stiff paste. Sufficient es To compound tooth pastes, first rub up the dry materials to .a very fine powder in a mortar, moisten slightly with alcohol or perfumed toilet water, and add slowly enough honey or sirup to form a paste of the right consistency, beating all the time with an egg beater or otherwise to thoroughly incorporate the materials. Or mix the mass on a piece of glass or marble or other smooth hard sur face. Let stand twenty-four hours before sealing.
Mouth Washes. — The use of an antiseptic and scented mouth wash is very agreeable and is to be recom sential oils or alcohol to act as a pre servative should be added, otherwise they are likely to ferment or effer vesce.
Or the ingredients may be mixed with cologne or lavender water or other perfumed toilet waters to the desired consistency. They should be tightly covered to exclude the air.
mended especially after the use of a silk thread, toothpick, or toothjrush for cleansing the teeth. But it must be carefully observed that the use of a mouth wash does not take the place of these mechanical agencies, all claims to the contrary by manufac turers of various proprietary washes notwithstanding. A mouth wash should be agreeable and antiseptic in taste and odor, and should contain nothing injurious to the general health.
Mouth washes are used with sev eral objects in view, and the ingredi ents recommended vary accordingly. Among these may be mentioned hardening and strengthening the gums, cleansing the teeth, neutraliz ing the effects of acids and bacteria present in decayed teeth or particles of food, and sweetening and purify ing the breath. Substances recom
mended for these various purposes are astringents, such as burnt alum, tannin, chloride of zinc, and lemon juice, which tend to harden the gums and prevent the bad effects of accu mulation of tartar and scurvy; anti septics, such as carbolic acid, perox ide of hydrogen, and salt; bleaching substances, as chloride of soda and peroxide of hydrogen; cleansing agents, as castile soap, salts of tartar, and borax; perfume substances, as the various essences and toilet wa ters.
These preparations are simple mix tures. Hence it is only necessary to give the various recipes in the table given on page 509.
Peroxide of Hydrogen.—Peroxide of hydrogen is perhaps the most gen erally efficient and satisfactory all around mouth wash that can be used. If the peroxide is too active in its effects and causes the sensation de scribed by athletes as " spitting cot ton," it may be followed by a solu tion of baking soda in water, which will neutralize its effects. This is a chemical substance consisting of di oxide of hydrogen diluted with wa ter. It is a limpid, colorless liquid having a slightly acid taste. It is similar in composition to water charged with oxygen, which is read ily set free when in contact with any substance for which it has an affinity. Thus when applied to the mucous membrane, oxygen is set free, which actively attacks any foreign organic matter that may be present. It is used as a deodorant and an antisep tic. Peroxide of hydrogen is also used for restoring paintings that have become dim by the effects of sulphur on the white lead contained in the original paints; as a hair bleach and for bleaching ostrich feathers, ivory, silk, wool, and cotton. It is used in medicine for the treat ment of sores, sore throat, diphtheria, and as a mouth wash for bleaching the teeth and cleansing the gums and other mucous surfaces. It is at once the safest and most active substance known in medical science for these purposes, and its general use is to be highly recommended.