Sound and healthy teeth depend in a great measure upon bodily health. Persons who have always been healthy, who are never troubled with derangements of the stomach or bowels seldom have aching or decayed teeth. Derangement of the stomach and bowels, from whatever cause it may be produced, is exceedingly liable to affect the teeth, producing slow or rapid decay, and those torturing pains, the most agonizing to be borne, and yet for which the patient receives the least sympathy.

Some teeth even in apparently healthy persons seem to be extremely brittle, and far more liable to decay or crumble away than others. We have already explained the formation of teeth, their connection with the nerve, and the cause of some of the torturing pains, to which they give rise when diseased. As the teeth, strictly speaking, come under the province of the dentist rather than the physician, it will be only necessary to give some general directions how to preserve them, and how to alleviate the sufferings they produce when in a diseased state.

Pay strict attention to the general health, keep the stomach and bowels in a natural state, and above all, even if you are still wandering in the boggy and cloudy regions of allopathy, avoid taking large quantities of various nostrums, cathartics, mineral acids, etc. Keep the mouth sweet and clean by rinsing it with pure cold water, and brushing the teeth in the morning, and after each meal, avoid also exposing the teeth to sudden changes of heat and cold, as drinking cold water, when the mouth is filled with hot food. If tartar forms on the teeth, have it carefully removed. If the teeth become diseased, consult a judicious and skilful dentist, and do not because they ache a little have them extracted forthwith. Your own teeth, however poor they may be, if they do not affect your general health, and can be prevented from paining you, are generally far better, than any artificial teeth, however beautiful, or skilfully prepared. Teeth are often extracted because the patient is vexed with long-continued pain, and the dentist is willing to indulge the whim, partly because it saves him future trouble, because it gives him a fine opportunity to display his skill, and pocket a good fee, in preparing an artificial set, when even a greater amount of skill might be displayed in patching up the tooth and saving-it, if only for two or three years.

Dentistry has reached a state of perfection in this country far superior to that of any other in the world, and in point of beauty almost rivals in its work nature itself. The thought is very consoling, when we see our teeth making their exit one after the other, that art has given us the means of replacing them by others equal in beauty, though not quite as serviceable.

Treatment

Bell., Cham. or Merc. may be given in most cases of toothache, until the more specific remedy is ascertained.

Pains affecting several teeth at once usually require, Cham., Merc, Rhus or Staphysagria.

Affecting also the bones of the face: Hyos., Merc, Sulphur.

Extending to the eyes: Pulsatilla.

To the ears: Cham., Merc, Pulsatilla.

To the head: Cham., Nux-v., Merc, Rhus, Pulsatilla, Belladonna.

With swelled face or gums: Arn., Cham., Merc.,Puls., Sep., Sulph., Aur., Bell., Bryonia.

For rheumatic toothache: Acon., Bell., Bry., Puls., Rhus, Cham., Staph,, Sabina.

Of a nervous character Bell., Cham., Coff., Hyos., Ign., Plat, Spig.

Occasioned by abuse of Mercury: Carbo-v. or Nit.-ac.

From & cold; Bell., Bry., Rhus, Puls., Merc, Dalc.

Occurring at the period of Catamenia: Calc., Carb.-v., Chamomilla.

During Pregnancy: Bell., Calc, Nux-v., Puls., Sep., Staph.

In hysterical persons: Ign. or Sepia.

In children: Calc., Bell., Cham., Coff., Ignatia.

Symptomatic Indication

Aconite. - If there is considerable fever, congestion, heat and swelling of the gums and face, with great restlessness. Frequently in alternation with Belladonna.

Belladonna

Drawing, lacerating or shooting pain in the teeth, face, and ears, worse at night, in the evening, and on lying down. Swelling of the gums and cheek; heat and redness of the face; salivation or dryness of the mouth and throat with great thirst. Pains worse in the open air, from contact with food, or mental exertion. After this remedy Hepar-s., Mercury, Chamomilla or Pulsatilla may be indicated.

Dose

Two drops, or twelve globules, in a tumbler of water, a tablespoonful once in from half an hour to two hours.

Chamomilla

Violent, drawing, jerking, pulsative or shooting pains, almost insupportable, particularly at night, when warm in bed, with heat and swelling of the face; violent semi-lateral pains, sometimes affecting the whole side of the face, aggravated by eating or drinking; great restlessness and weakness.

Dose

Same as Belladonna.

Mercury

Lacerating, pulsative or throbbing pain, shooting in decayed teeth or in the roots, sometimes affecting the entire side of the face and extending into the glands and ears, aggravated at night, by cool damp air, or eating and drinking, especially anything cold, and almost insupportable in the warmth of the bed. Salivation and swelling of the cheek, gums or glands. Sensation as if the teeth were too long; ulceration, bleeding, and discoloration of the gums. Frequently indicated after, or in alternation with Belladonna or Dulcamara.

Dose

A powder, or three globules, once in two or three hours.

Pulsatilla

Particularly in persons of a mild and timid character, with disposition to shed tears. Toothache with earache and semi-lateral headache, drawing, shooting or jerking pain, or pulsative and gnawing pains with pricking in the gums, pains extending to the face and head, to the eye and ear of the side affected, with shivering and shortness of breath, aggravation in the evening, after midnight, when warm in bed, and from hot food, mitigated sometimes by cold water or cool air.

Dose

Two drops, or twelve globules, in a tumbler of water, a tablespoonful once in one or two hours.

Nux-Vom

Particularly in persons of a lively choleric temperament, with florid complexion, and in those who freely indulge in coffee and spirituous liquors, or who lead a sedentary life. Pains extending over the head, jerking, drawing as from excoriation, in the teeth and jaws; gums swollen and painful, with pulsation; painful enlargement of the glands, pain worse at night, in the morning on waking, or when engaged in intellectual labor; irritable and peevish temper.

Dose

Same as Mercury.

Calcarea

Toothache especially during pregnancy or at the period of catamenia; congestion in the head, particularly at night; pulsative pains and feeling of excoriation; swelling and bleeding of the gums; pains increased by a current of cold air, or by drinking anything cold or hot.

Bryonia

Jerking, drawing pain, with looseness of the teeth, and sensation as if they were too long, particularly on eating; pain rendering it necessary to lie down, worse at night or on taking anything hot into the mouth, or when lying on the side affected.

Dose

Two drops, or twelve globules, in a tumbler of water, a tablespoonful every one or two hours.

China

Debility, occasioned by nursing or loss of fluids, and when the pain is increased by the slightest contact, or after eating, or at night; sometimes relieved by clenching the teeth.

Dose

Same as Bryonia. Give every two or three hours.

Ignatia

Especially where there is a tendency to indulge in grief, and when the pains are aggravated by coffee or tobacco-smoke, in the evening after lying down, or in the morning on waking. Often indicated after Cham., Nux-vom. or Pulsatilla.

Dose

Same as Bryonia.

Mezerium

Particularly where there are drawing, shooting pains, extending to the bones of the face and temple; pains in carious teeth, aggravated by touch or movement; shivering and congestion to the head.

Rhus

Especially in persons disposed to melancholy, and where there are tearing, jerking, shooting or tingling pains, worse in the open air or at night, and relieved by the external application of heat.

Dose

Same as Bryonia.

Spigelia

Jerking, pulsative or tearing pain, especially in carious teeth, coming on after a meal or at night, aggravated by cold water or exposure to cold air; frequently existing in connection with heart-symptoms.

Dose

Same as Bryonia.

Staphysagria

Where there is a disposition of the teeth to decay and break, with paleness, whiteness, ulceration and swelling, and tenderness of the gums, swelling of the cheek and glands; tearing, drawing pain even in the healthy teeth, and in the gums; aggravated during or immediately after eating, or drinking anything cold, and from contact or exposure to the cold.

Dose

Same as Bryonia.

Sulphur

Tearing, jerking and pulsative pain, especially in carious teeth; congestion to the head and pulsative headache; constipation; pain worse at night, or on exposure to cold air; swelling and bleeding of the teeth and gums. Frequently serviceable after Coffea or Aconite.

Dose

A powder, or three globules, once in three or four hours.

Coffea

Violent pain with tears, trembling and excessive anguish; worse at night, or after a meal.

Dose

Two drops, or twelve globules, in a tumbler of water, a tablespoonful every hour or two hours.

Arsenicum

Painful looseness and elongation of the teeth. Insupportable pain, aggravated by lying on the side affected, and relieved by the warmth of the fire.

Dose

A powder, or six globules, every two hours.

Carbo-V

Frequently after Ars. or Merc, and where there is bleeding and ulceration of the gums, exceedingly sensitive to the touch and looseness of the teeth.

Dose

Same as Sulphur.

Silicea

- Violent pain in the jaw, pain worse at night; ulcerative tendency of the skin.

Dose

Same as Sulphur.

Nit

ac. - Pulsative and drawing or shooting pain, mostly in the evening, or when in bed.

Dose

Three drops of the 1st dilution, in a tumbler of water a tablespoonful once in two or three hours.

Platina

Pulsative and digging pains in the teeth; sensation of cramp and torpor on the side affected.

Dose

A powder, or six globules, once in three hours.

Sabina

Particularly when connected with menstrual functions; sensation as if the tooth where splitting; aggravated by the warmth of bed. Besides the above Hepar-s., Hyosciamus, Sepia, Veratrum, Aconite, it may also be consulted.

If no relief, is obtained after five or six doses, another remedy should be carefully selected..