TEETH. 



The offfiSs r.re, confiderablo pain in the tooth, and fomc- 

 fimes convuliions ; an implcal'ant I'onfation in the tongue 

 upon its touching the fradhire. An oblique fradure hurts 

 the tongue, hps, or check, by its pointed form. The 

 broken furface of a tooth not unfretiuently becomes carious. 



The fpecies .ire : 



1. Frafture from violence ; as occurs in a fall upon the 

 teeth, a blow on them, or in biting the hard ilones of fruits, 

 or in an iinperfeft extraction of a tooth. 



2. Fradure from previous caries, or fragility of a tooth. 

 When either of thefe caufes is prefent, a very inconliderable 

 force will break the tooth, and fplit it into feveral pieces. 

 The furface of the fraftured part ought to be kept covered 

 for feveral days with mallich. 



The fraAure of a tooth is an incurable accident. 



Fi/fures of the Teeth A fiffure of a tooth means a folu- 



tion of continuity, like a mere line, or a crack in the 

 enamel. 



For the mod part, the caufe originates from biting the 

 ftones of fruit, or other hard fubltances. 



The effects are pain and tendernefs of the tooth, and, in 

 confequcnce of the entrance of fordes into the fifliire, caries 

 is frequcntiv produced. 



The treatment confifls in filling up the fiffure, while 

 recent, with gum maftich. 



Luxations of the Teeth The luxation of a tooth means 



the difplaccment of it from its natural pofition in the focket, 

 occafioned by violence. 



The caufes are biting hard or refilling bodies with ex- 

 trertle force ; falls or blows upon the teeth ; but, mod 

 commonly, the accident is brought on by an imperfeft and 

 imfucccfsful attempt to draw a tooth. 



The disfigurement, arifing from the wrong pofture of the 

 tooth, is the chief efFeft. The tooth may be put into its 

 right pofition again with the aid of a pair of forceps. 



Stupor of the Teeth This is a very fingular fenfation in 



the teeth, which cannot be defcribed by words. It was 

 called by the Greeks hismodia, from j^i^inJixa, olflupefco : 

 the French term it I'agacement des dents. 



The proximate caufe is a peculiar affeftion of the nerves 

 ■of the teeth. 



With regard to the effefts, this annoying fenfation pre- 

 vents maftication, and excites a preternatural fecretion of the 

 faliva ; while it is exafperated by the entrance of air into the 

 cavity of the mouth. For the moft part, the complaint is 

 only of a tranfient nature. 



The fpecies are : 



1 . Stupor of the teeth from eating unripe fruit. Hence 

 wc find, the affeftion is often caufed by eating four cherries, 

 currants, goofeberries, &c. 



This cafe may be relieved by chewing fweet almonds, or 

 applying fomentations to the teeth. 



2. Stupor of the teeth from vomiting dark bilious matter 

 from the ftomach. The fecretions thrown up from the 

 llomach are fometimes of an auftere acid kind, and therefore 

 may give rife to this affeftion of the teeth. Plenck has 

 many times noticed the occurrence in hypochondriacal fub- 

 jeds. Doftrina de Morb. Dentinm, p. 42. 



The cure demands emetics and abforbents, or mild alka- 

 line remedies. 



3. Stupor of the teeth in ricketty fubjefts. The teeth of 

 perfons who labour under rachitis, are, on account of their 

 greater fenfibility, particularly expofed to the attack of this 

 complaint. 



Befides the radical cure of rachitis, which is to be at- 

 tempted by tonic and abforbent medicines, external palliative 

 means are not to be omitted 



4. Stupor of the teeth from harft r.oifes. Thus the pain- 



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ful fenfation is brouglit on by the acute rough found made 

 by filing various fubltances, fcraping (late, favviug (lone, &c. 

 In a fright, the gnalhing of the teeth has been obferved to 

 have a fimilar effeft. 



Odontalgia, or Tooth-ache. — This fignifies pain in one or 

 more of the teeth ; the etymology being oJoi/f, dens, and 

 i.'hyiji, doleo. 



The proximate caufe is an irritation of the nerves which 

 are dillributed to the teeth and gums. 



As for the effedls, the pain in the teeth fometimes rifes 

 to fuch a degree, that relllcfTnefs, fever, delirium, fpafms, 

 convulfions, faintings, &c. are produced, efpecially in per- 

 fons of irritable conllitutions. 



The cheek of the painful fide very often fwells upon a 

 little abatement of the complaint taking place ; the patient 

 drivels confiderably ; and maftication cannot be performed 

 without an increafe of iuffering. 



The different fpecies of the complaint are as follows : 



1. Odontalgia rheumatica, or the tooth-ache occafioned 

 by the rheumatifm affecting the gums and teeth. 



The fymptoms of this cafe are, pain in the teeth, without 

 any thing ailing the gums, as far as can be detected by ocu- 

 lar examination. 



The cure demands purgative medicines, and afterwards 

 fudorifics. 



Externally, wine and water ; or vinegar, in which the 

 radix pyrethri has been boiled ; the fmoking of tobacco ; 

 finapifms to the cheek ; or blifters upon the temples, or 

 nape of the neck ; are efteemed amongft the moft eligible 

 means of relief. 



2. Odontalgia catarrhalis. This cafe is moftly brought 

 on by a cold damp atmofphere and the fuppreffion of per- 

 fpiration, or from fudden expofure to cold while the body 

 is very much heated. 



This fpecies may be known by the prefence of the ufual 

 fymptoms of catarrh, the difcharge of mucus from the 

 noilrils, cough, occ. 



It admits of relief by the fame means which are proper 

 for a catarrh, or the rheumatic fpecies of tooth-ache. 



3. Odontalgia inflammatoria. The complaint is brought 

 on by inflammation of the gums. Such inflammation often- 

 times affedts, at the fame time, all the neighbouring parts, as 

 the cheeks, ears, ej'es, and indeed fometimes the whole 

 head. 



Frequently the cafe brings on, in a flow manner, the form- 

 ation of abfceffes between the gums and cheek, which ab- 

 fceffes, after a great deal of violent pain, burft. 



This tooth-ache is exafperated by every kind of warm 

 medicine, whether given inwardly, or ufed as an externa] ap- 

 plication. 



The cure of the complaint in its early ftage demands 

 venefedtion, purgatives, nitre, and other antiphlogiftic re- 

 medies. 



Externally, there is no better application than the aqua 

 plumbi fuperacetatis. 



4. Odontalgia arthritica, or odontagra, arifes on the 

 abatement of a gouty affedtion of the joints, but fubCdes 

 again as foon as the latter difeafe recommences. 



5. Odontalgia venerea. Both the venereal difeafe itfelf, 

 and the merciu-y which is adminiftered for its cure, not 

 unfrequently give rife to fevere tooth-ache. In each of 

 thefe cafes, purgatives are indicated, and afterwards an 

 emulfion of gum arabic, the warm bath, and the compound 

 decodtion of farfnparilla. 



Here drawing the teetli is faid to be extremely dangerous, 

 as it is apt to bring on inflammation of the throat, and even 

 fatal confequences. 



6. Odontalgia fcoi-butica. This cafe may be known by 



the 



