Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 239, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1916 — Changes in Human Teeth. [ARTICLE]

Changes in Human Teeth.

That our teeth are becoming progressively smaller and fewer is made manifest by a study of human Jaws running back through the centuries to' the earliest historic times, 6,000 years ago, and even to those of prehistoric people whose bones have been dug up. That they are growing less durable is shown by their extreme liability todecay. - . ■ * The tendency to a reduction in the number of teeth Is shown by the departure of the third molars. These “wisdom teeth,” as they are called, four in number, are in many individuals missing or undersized and irregular; or they may, in other instances, fall to “erupt.” Evidently they ard" destined to d lsa PP® ar entirely. And because they are ho longer required for use nature Is making them of such poor material that commonly they start to decay as soon as they appear. Already there are signs that other teeth, such as the lateral incisors, will follow the same route. Our teeth are merely tools. They are not equivalent to limbs, but are only natural implements and were developed originally to meet certain needsslf the needs diminish the teeth must do likewise.