Page 14 - My FlipBook

6 CAUSES AND RELIEF OF DENTAL PAIN.

additional advantage of serving as a temporary stopping
for t bree or four days.
Treatment.—If pain of a *(>ycv(> throbbing character
has lasted for some time destruction of the dental pulp

is usually advisable; this is effected by the application
of some preparation containing not more than gr. ,'
(i
arsenious acid to the exposed pulp, the preparation

being carefully retained in position by gutta-percha or
wool soaked in sandarac or mastic varnish. Arsenic
should not as a general rule be applied to temporary teeth.
The process of "killing the pulp" should be in most
cases a painless one ; in the cases in which much pain

ensues the cause is usually the application of too tight a
dressing, which does not allow of the expansion of the
pulp due to the congestion produced by the arsenic.

The application of arsenic for this purpose should not
be undertaken by anyone without special training, as it
is frequently a matter of considerable difficulty, and may
cause sloughing of the gums and necrosis of the alveolus
if carelessly performed.

Chronic suppurative inflammation of the pulp usually
arises from infection of the dental pulp that has been

exposed by caries.
Symptoms.—Pain coming on at irregular intervals of a
wandering neuralgic character, which the patient may not
refer to a tooth at all; the presence of throbbing is not in-
frequent, and may assist in locating the source of the pain.

A paroxysm is often brought on by the sudden applica-
tion of heat or cold, sweet or salt substances. The
characteristic symptom of suppurative inflammation of
the pulp is the production of great increase of pain on

the application of heat.
The tooth is not tender unless the periosteum is involved
and the gum is not swollen.