Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-01-26


"No I didn't, replies the peddler.
81 say you did ~ yociferated the con-
stable.
'I swear I didn't" still persisted the
peddler.
"What did you tell me then ?''
"You asked me if l had license to
sell, and l told you hadn't" contin-
ued the peddler, in an injured tone,
for I wanted it to peddle WITH
TOOTHACHE, ITS ca USES AND
VARIETIES.
For the sake of convenience it is here
proposed to divide toothache into seven
different varieties.
1st. Toothache from an exposed
nerve. 49,
End. From linfamed dentine.
Sd. Neuralgia of the maxiIlary
nerves, or Sympathetic. toothache."
4th.- From abscess, or matter forming
in the nerve canal, the result of an in
famed but unexposed nerve.
5th. From inflammation of the men,
brane covering the jaw-bone (perios-
teum.)
9th. From accidents.
7th. From Exostosis.
Toothache from an exposed nerve is
much more common. than all other
varieties. The nerve may be exposed
by accidental fracture, but most COM
monty by decay.
Decay may attack tooth in any part
ofits exposed surface, but it does so
most frequently ON the tops of the
crowns of the molar teeth, and at the
bottom of the grooves where the en-
amel is perfectly united. Decay may
occur in any or all of the teeth, ,on those
sides that come together; also on the
front and inner sides of the. six front
teeth, and very often just at tho edge
of the gum. Now .toothache from an
exposed nerve generally occurs when
decay has destroyed all parts of the
enamel and inner portion (or dentine)
of the teeth to very close approxima-
ton of the nerve, Tin its course inwards
although the cavity may scarcely admit
pin-head. Some of the most marked
painful attacks of the toothache, l have
ever witnessed, occurred in. teeth where
the cavity was so small as not to admit
very fine probe. The experience of
numerous patients whom l have ques-
toned on the subject, state as follows:
That by picking the teeth or by biting
some hard substance, they all of sud-
den experienced tortuous and excru-
ciating pain,) leaving only very this
covering of dentine over the nervA,
Now when the tooth-pick is used, and
as is often the case forced up into the
cavity, or when any. portion of food
hard enough to produce the result is
bitten this thin wall of dentine covering
the nerve is broken in and most prob
ably portion of it is forced upon the
nerve. This is what causes the terrible
and sudden pain. Now this can be re-
lieved, and majority of cases entirely
cured by proper course of treatment,
consisting in first removing any foreign
substance that is pressing on the nerve,
and proper application of diluted car
bolic acid; or any of the, strong stimu-
lants or essential oils, when all pain
has subsidized the nerve should be de-
stroyed, and the tooth properly filed.
IF this course is not pursued, the tooth
isvery liable to successive attacks which
will eventually produce inflammation,
the effect of which will be continued
and severe pain. In the meantime the
tooth will be very sensitive to all
changes of temperature; cold water,
hot coffee, cold or warm air passing
over it will cause pain more or less
severe, and any foreign substance COM
ing in contact with the nerve will pro-
duce that excruciating pain again.
This is that character of toothache call
ed dumping" and it well deserves the
name. The poet, Burns, doubtless had
it when he gave expression to the fol-
lowing:
"My curse upon thy renowned stang,
That shoots my tortured gums alang,
And through my lugs gie's mony q twang,
Wfe gna ing vengeance" &C., &C.
But to return to the subject. If the
tooth be left in the above condition to
its own natural course, suppuration of
the nerve may follow. Thisconstitutes
destruction of it, and therefore no
more pain may be experienced until the
entire crown of the tooth is destroyed
by the progress of decay. However,
this not always the case, for in other
instances the Inflammation extends
through the opening of the fang Cor
root at the extreme end to the large
nerve of the jaw; it also extends in
some instances to the periosteum (thin
membrane covering the bone;) when
4 this condition arises, less acute but
more steady and persistent pain is felt,
diverging both directions along thejaw,
from the affected tooth and the pain
often increases during the night when
the patient is covered up warm in bed.
The reason of which is obvious. The
horizontal position favors greater de-
I termination of blood to the infamed
part, ,causinga an increase eofinfiammation
and are Ito some degree) increase of
pain. There are other complications
arising here too difficult to render plain
to the general reader but which can be
easily shown to the patient, when pres
ent in the dental office. Greatnumbers
of teeth have been sacrificed through
Ignorance, and what is worse, still con-
tinue to be. There is room for a great
reformation in this particiIlar branch of