Page 222 - My FlipBook

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Treatment of the Scurvy of the Gums.

To effect a permanent cure of this disease it is necessary
to obviate all its exciting causes. As it always depends more
or less on local exciting causes, our attention should be di-
rected to the state of the teeth and gums themselves. All
the teeth that are diseased, if so much so as to be impossible
to be cured by the means which have been and will be di-
rected for the cure of diseased teeth, should be immediately
extracted ; likewise all dead and useless stumps of teeth.
Mr. Koecker says,* a molar tooth, which has no antag-
onist, should be drawn, and all dead teeth. Those teeth
which from their irregularity appear to influence the disease,
if their irregularity cannot be obviated, should be drawn.
The operation for extraction of the teeth should be performed
at the same sitting, for the effect in checking the diseased ac-
tion is greatly increased if all the teeth we purpose to ex-
tract, are extracted at the same time. I think this of great
consequence, for we must bear in mind that a diseased action
has been continued for a long time in the gums and alveolar
membrane, and it is, sine qua non, an object of indispensable
moment that we change this action and excite a new and
healthy action in these parts, in order to a permanent cure of
this disease. The bleeding from the sockets should be en-
couraged by directing the patient to rinse his mouth with
lukewarm water of a temperature that is agreeable to him,
until it spontaneously ceases, which it will generally do in a
short time : subsequently, for several days, the patient should
use some gently astringent wash. The following are those
directed by Mr. Koecker,f which he says he has found to

Page 287. t Pages 288— 9.