Page 291 - My FlipBook
P. 291
:
289
A knowledge of the evils which may result from a carious
tooth, ought to influence all persons who may be affected
with this malady, to take such early steps for their preven-
tion as prudence shall dictate.
Sometimes an indolent kind of inflammation will exist at
the bottom of the socket of a carious tooth, occasioning a
hard lump, or small tumour, of the size of half a nutmeg.
In this state it will continue for months, with no other altera-
tion than being rather sore, when, in consequence of a cold,
a little active inflammation may arise.
These hard swellings should always be regarded as very
dangerous, because, as during their indolent existence they
have caused a certain degree of absorption of the inner part
of the integuments of the face, if any active inflammation
occur, it very speedily runs on to suppuration ; and, as the
skin has already become thin, ulceration to the external part
takes place so rapidly, that I have known an opening formed
through the cheek in a very few days. On these accounts I
always endeavour to persuade patients to have any tooth ex-
tracted, which may be accompanied with any hardness, or
swelling. It is also much better to submit to the extraction
of any carious tooth which has produced an abscess ; for it
will be always a source of trouble, as well as occasion an of-
fensive state of the breath.
I will, after what has already been adduced, introduce a
few more cases and their treatment, which will sufficiently
illustrate these affections, with one from the work of R. Woof-
fendale, who observes
* "A lady, about twenty-one years of age, applied to me
about four years ago, who had an open sore in the side of
h Practical Observations on the Human Teeth, by R. Wooffendale, Lo»-
don, 1783.
37
289
A knowledge of the evils which may result from a carious
tooth, ought to influence all persons who may be affected
with this malady, to take such early steps for their preven-
tion as prudence shall dictate.
Sometimes an indolent kind of inflammation will exist at
the bottom of the socket of a carious tooth, occasioning a
hard lump, or small tumour, of the size of half a nutmeg.
In this state it will continue for months, with no other altera-
tion than being rather sore, when, in consequence of a cold,
a little active inflammation may arise.
These hard swellings should always be regarded as very
dangerous, because, as during their indolent existence they
have caused a certain degree of absorption of the inner part
of the integuments of the face, if any active inflammation
occur, it very speedily runs on to suppuration ; and, as the
skin has already become thin, ulceration to the external part
takes place so rapidly, that I have known an opening formed
through the cheek in a very few days. On these accounts I
always endeavour to persuade patients to have any tooth ex-
tracted, which may be accompanied with any hardness, or
swelling. It is also much better to submit to the extraction
of any carious tooth which has produced an abscess ; for it
will be always a source of trouble, as well as occasion an of-
fensive state of the breath.
I will, after what has already been adduced, introduce a
few more cases and their treatment, which will sufficiently
illustrate these affections, with one from the work of R. Woof-
fendale, who observes
* "A lady, about twenty-one years of age, applied to me
about four years ago, who had an open sore in the side of
h Practical Observations on the Human Teeth, by R. Wooffendale, Lo»-
don, 1783.
37
