The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-05-02
Treatment for an liberated Tooth.

treatment LOT an U1cefated Tooth.
DR.. Geo. L. Parmelee of Harvard Uni
versity, writes to the Joufnolcf Chemistry,
telling the cause of liberated teeth and
the treatment therefor. If a longitudinal
section be made of tooth, cavity near
ly corresponding in shape to the external
contour of the tooth will be found. The
cavity is prolonged into the root, or roots,
if there be more than one, and opens by a
minute orifce at the extremity of EACH
This is called the pulp cavity or chamber,
while those portions extending into the
roots are distinguished by the name of
pulp canals. This pulp cavity is occu-
pied by highly vascular and nervous
tissue, the dental pulp, which is contin-
uous, through the opening at the end of
the root, with the vessels and nerves
which supply the teeth and adjacent
parts.
When from any cause the pulp of a
tooth dies, what happens? The pulp be-
ing dead, of course, decomposes; and if
allowed to remain in the tooth, the gases
arising from this decomposition must find
a means of exit If a cavity of decay ex-
lists freely open, the gases arising from the
dead pulp will escape through the cavity,
and no trouble results. But should this
cavity be closed, either by the impaction
of food, filling, or any other cause, the
gases finding no other vent. are forced
through the minute orifice at the end Of
the root, where the vessels entered which
supplied it with life, irritating the root
membrane of the tooth and surrounding
parts. This irritation causes inflammation,
and as this progresses, pus is formed.
The first indication we have of this va
riety Of toothache is slight soreness Oh
shutting the teeth together or On striking
the affected tooth. Soon the soreness in
creases, the tooth feels as if it was more
prominent than the others, and one has
desire to be continually feeling of it, to
see how things are progressing. The
pain is dull, throbbing, and, owing to the
parts being confined by hard, bony walls,
severely intense, the whole jaw sympa-
thizing.
AS it is often necessary to destroy these
pulps, what should be done to guard
against toothache of this variety! After
the life of pulp has been destroyed, by
the application of medicine to it, Or any
other cause, it should be hardened and
withdrawn from its cavity-which is not
painful operation the parts thoroughly
disinfected, and the cavity carefully filled.
If teeth are treated in this way, the
chances Of trouble are greatly lessened,
and they may be retained as useful Or
gans for many years and perhaps for
lifetime. What shall we do if this
trouble does arise? Consult competent
dentist, not one who has picked up lit
tie knowledge Of teeth, and is mere ex-
tractor and plugger of these organs, but
one who has been thoroughly and scien-
tifically educated for his calling, and he
will know what to do In case for any
reason this is impossible, you may be able
to relieve yourself.
In the first place do not delay in hope
that the tooth may feel better, but attend
to it at once. Remove if you can all for
eign matter from the cavity, thoroughly
washing it with tepid water, and get an
opening into the pulp chamber. This
alone will often cure it. Paint the gum
freely all around the tooth with strong
tincture Of iodine, first drying off the
moisture from the gum. Hold ice-cold
water or Jumps of ice continually in the
mouth, but should you start on this cold
water method of treatment you must keep
it up for several hours, or it will be worse
than useless. Hot footballs and saline
cathartics. Let the tooth alone, do not
keep feeling of it, thus keeping up the IT.
ritation which you are trying to allay
Remember that this form of treatment is
not applicable to an exposed living pulp,
but only in cases where this organ is dead
Cold water, applied to an inflamed living
pulp, would only increase your agony.
Should you find that you cannot arrest
the inflammation after sufficient trial. you
will have to take the other course, and
that is, to hasten suppuration by warm ap-
plications directly to the part. For this
purpose nothing is better than split fig,
roasted and laid on the gum. Warm
fluids held in the mouth will sometimes
afford relief. But it is wiser to 60 at
once to a competent dentist as serious
trouble often arises from this form of dis
ease Never, on any consideration, apply
poultices to the outside of the face, for
should the abscess point break there,
permanent and unsightly scar would be
the result.
In closing l would say, that as an
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure" it would be much better to attend
to your teeth in time, before the pulps
become exposed, and save your teeth and
yourself all this pain and trouble. You
will never find any artificial teeth that
will be the source of so much comfort as
your own natural organs properly taken
care Of