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204 DENTAL MEDICINE.
the tooth. Elastic caps are now made to secure devitalizing
mixtures in isolated and fractured teeth.
Arsenious acid is also employed in dental practice to obtund
the undue sensitiveness of dentine, but less frequently now than
in past years, as its action is due more to devitalizing energy
than to a chemical action, such as a true escharotic produces,
as it is capable of being absorbed through a considerable thick-
ness of dentine, the result of which would be the death of the
pulp. Arsenious acid, if it is employed for obtunding the sensi-
bility of the dentine, should be suffered to remain in the tooth
but a very short time—from one to three hours—and every
particle of it carefully removed. As there are many agents
which prove effective for such a purpose, it is much better to re-
frain from the use of arsenious acid as an obtunder of hyper-
sensitive dentine.
When arsenious acid comes in contact with the soft tissues
of the mouth, the result of careless application, its irritating
effects become apparent in from twelve to twenty-four hours,
beginning with a slight soreness and some congestion. Small
ulcers then appear which increase in depth, but are not attended
with much pain, unless the agent penetrates to the periosteum.
In such case the parts involved eventually become quite dark
in color, and sloughing occurs to some extent, and in severe
cases necrosis of bone may result, a condition which is known as
arsenical necrosis. Dr. Faught suggests the following treatment
" Wherever practicable, the soft tissues should be curetted.
Scarify freely, and then touch the wound with muriated tincture
of iron ; .then cauterize it with carbolic acid or iodine, and, if
need be, stimulate further in a few days with another application
of the same." Dr. J. A. Johnson recommends in the treatment
of arsenical stomatitis, the use of peroxide of hydrogen, and as a
mouth-wash every hour, sulphate of zinc gr. ijss, water Sj, or a
solution of glycerite of tannin, and, internally, iodide of potas-
sium, five grains, three times a day.
204 DENTAL MEDICINE.
the tooth. Elastic caps are now made to secure devitalizing
mixtures in isolated and fractured teeth.
Arsenious acid is also employed in dental practice to obtund
the undue sensitiveness of dentine, but less frequently now than
in past years, as its action is due more to devitalizing energy
than to a chemical action, such as a true escharotic produces,
as it is capable of being absorbed through a considerable thick-
ness of dentine, the result of which would be the death of the
pulp. Arsenious acid, if it is employed for obtunding the sensi-
bility of the dentine, should be suffered to remain in the tooth
but a very short time—from one to three hours—and every
particle of it carefully removed. As there are many agents
which prove effective for such a purpose, it is much better to re-
frain from the use of arsenious acid as an obtunder of hyper-
sensitive dentine.
When arsenious acid comes in contact with the soft tissues
of the mouth, the result of careless application, its irritating
effects become apparent in from twelve to twenty-four hours,
beginning with a slight soreness and some congestion. Small
ulcers then appear which increase in depth, but are not attended
with much pain, unless the agent penetrates to the periosteum.
In such case the parts involved eventually become quite dark
in color, and sloughing occurs to some extent, and in severe
cases necrosis of bone may result, a condition which is known as
arsenical necrosis. Dr. Faught suggests the following treatment
" Wherever practicable, the soft tissues should be curetted.
Scarify freely, and then touch the wound with muriated tincture
of iron ; .then cauterize it with carbolic acid or iodine, and, if
need be, stimulate further in a few days with another application
of the same." Dr. J. A. Johnson recommends in the treatment
of arsenical stomatitis, the use of peroxide of hydrogen, and as a
mouth-wash every hour, sulphate of zinc gr. ijss, water Sj, or a
solution of glycerite of tannin, and, internally, iodide of potas-
sium, five grains, three times a day.
