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168 PATHOLOGY OF THE HAED TISSUES OF THE TEETH.

Sensitiveness of the Peridental Membeanes.
From what has been said of the force that may be used in
mastication, it has been seen that, normally, the peridental mem-
branes are very resistant and not sensitive to even very heavy
pressure. But extreme sensitiveness of these membranes is fre-
quent as a result of disease. This may occur quickly as a result
of pericementitis, which often occurs after the death of the pulp
of a tooth. Witbin a few hours this membrane, that could bear
from 100 to 200 pounds without complaint, becomes so sensitive
that the slightest touch upon the tooth causes intense suffering
In this condition any operation, such as cutting for the opening
of a cavity, is prohibited by the intense pain produced, except
in cases when the urgency of gaining immediate access to the
pulp chamber of the tooth in order to clear the pulp canals for
relief of the condition is imperatively demanded. Then the tooth
should be supported in the best possible way and the cutting
limited to the least that will effect that object. However, this
particular subject belongs to another department and is men-
tioned here only as an illustration of the fact that this normally
insensitive membrane may quickly take on a condition of extreme
sensitiveness.
Forms of hypersensitiveness differing from the above occur
in which there is, apparently, no pain from ordinary light pres-
sure; yet any considerable pressure, and especially blows or
strokes, upon the teeth, arouse much more pain than is normal
to these membranes. This is due to various causes. The con-
dition is habitually overlooked by the patients themselves unless
it has been rapidly developed, which rarely happens. It is
usually chronic from the first. In many of the cases there is
very little that the eye would detect as wrong about the gums,
the teeth, or the mucous membranes. But the teeth will not bear
the normal amount of pressure without more or less considerable
pain. In other cases there will be marked redness of the gingivae,
tumefaction of the interproximal gum septums and a tendency
to bleeding from slight causes. This condition, however, is not
a necessary accompaniment. When a patient is found with peri-
dental membranes that are tender to pressure on the teeth,
who complains of the force of blows used in filling teeth, or of
other necessary force used in ordinary dental operations, strict
inquiry should be made regarding the cause of this abnormality.
Something has happened which has prevented the normal use