This section is from the book "The Sushruta Samhita", by Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna. Also available from Amazon: The Sushruta Samhita.
in a case of Danta-Nadi, the treatment of Nádi (Sinus) about the teeth is identical with that of sinus in general. The specific remedial measure, however, is that the gum of the affected tooth should be incised, and the tooth should be extracted, if it be not in the upper jaw. The affected part should then be purified and cauterised with an alkali or fire Hence in a case of Sinus (Nádi), a complete extraction of any fragment of the broken bone, or tooth, is essentially necessary (for its cure), inasmuch as, if left unextracted, it may cause the sinus to affect (run below) the jaw-bone. If the affected tooth be in the upper jaw, and if it be found to be firm and steady at its roots, though attended with tooth-ache, * it should not be extracted, inasmuch as it might produce an excessive haemorrhage from its roots, and usher in blindness, facial paralysis, or other dangeous affections (such as convulsion, etc.) due to the excessive loss of blood. Hence in the case of a looseness of such a tooth in the upper jaw, it should not be extracted A decoction † of játi, Madana, Svádlu-Kantaka and Khadira should be used to wash the mouth An oil cooked with játi, Madana, Katuka, Svádu-Kantaka. Yashti-madhu, Rodhra, Manjishthá and Khadira should be used to cleanse and heal a sinus invading the roots of a tooth. The remedial measures to be employed in the diseases affecting the roots of the teeth have thus been described above.
* Both Vrinda and Chakradatta quote this passage from the text, but both of them read
(excessive bleeding takes place) in place of
(if it be found to be firm and steady at its roots, though attended with tooth-ache). S'ri-kantha Datta, again, in his commentary quotes another reading
(if it be loose in its sockets and be extracted with its roots). In our humble opinion, however, the current reading of the text seems to be the correct one, inasmuch as both the readings quoted above seem to be redundant in the presence of the two following sentences
..." and
.." - Ed.
† According to S'rikantha and S'ivadása, it appears that the application of this decoction as a wash is not to be found in all editions of the Sus'ruta Samhitá, but they say that it is found only in Jejjatá's reading. Jejjatá's reading and explanation seem to be correct and have been followed by us in the translation. - Ed.
We shall now proceed to describe the medicinal remedies to be employed in the diseases which confine themselves exclusively to the teeth 18-21.
A case of Danta-harsha yields to the use of any lukewarm Sneha * or the Traivrita-ghrita (mentioned in Chapter V (Medical Treatment Of Snake-Bites (Sarpa-Dashta Kaipa-Chikitsitam))), or of the decoction of the Váyu-subduing drugs as gurgles (Kavala). An application of Snaihika Dhuma (emulsive fumes) and the use of snuff (Nasya), emulsive articles of food, meat soups, gruel prepared with meat (Rasa-Yavágu), milk, milk-cream, clarified butter, Siro-vasti and the other Vayu-subduing measures generally prove efficacious. 22.
In a case of Danta Sarkará (Tartar-calcareous deposits on the teeth), the deposit should be removed in such a way as not to hurt the roots of the tooth, after which the part should be dusted (Prati-sarana) with powdered Lákshá with honey. All the remedies mentioned in connection with the treatment of Danta-harsha may as well be employed in this disease. 23.
 
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