Page 165 - My FlipBook

Scurvy in the Gums. 145
Reflections.—It is seen that scurvy in the gum is generally
produced by local causes, often, very often, wholly the effect
of neglect, and that it is a disease easily cured.

alveolar processes more or less diseased. His double teeth, however, had
most especially suffered : and so considerable a part of their sockets was
destroyed, that their preservation was rendered altogether impossible. I
therefore proposed their immediate removal ; and, although the gentle-
man was exeedingly nervous, he acceded to my proposed plan of cure
without the least hesitation.
"February 14th, 1826. Thirteen roots and teeth were extracted, and
the mouth was subsequently cleansed with a gentle stimulant lotion
every hour or two in the course of the day.
"February 21st. The remaining front teeth of the upper and ur.der
jaw were carefully scaled as far as the diseased state of their gums
would allow of, and the patient provided with the means of preventing
the re-accumulatiou of tartar. He was requested to continue the use of
the lotion.
"February 28th. The above operation was repeated, and cleanliness
particularly recommended.
"March 7th. The same operation was completed, and a perfect re-
moval of the tartar was accomplished ; the patient was also directed to
proceed as before.
* "Thus by the judicious management of the case by Mr. Lawrence,
and the above treatment, the patient was now, in less than one month,
restored to perfect constitutional health. Hismouth was rapidly recov-
ering from a disease, probably of more than fifteen years standing; and
the most important of his teeth were saved from total destruction, and
permanently preserved."
October, 1832. Consulted by Mrs. , she stated that her teeth
and mouth were in a wretched condition—that she had suffered infinitely
from tooth ache, pain in her jaws, face and temples, and was still suffer*
ing as much—that her health was much impaired—that the medicines
prescribed for her proved of little advantage—that she had spent some
months on [he ssa shore for the benefit of sea air, bathing, &c. ; but that
her health had not improved so much as she had been lead to expect by
her physician—that she had often thought her teeth to be the cause
of her sufferings, but that she had never been able to make up her mind
to have any thing done to them, &c.
On examining her mouth, we found that every molar tooth was so
much decayed that nothing could be done for their preservation, the
crowns of some of them being entirely destroyed, the dead roots remain-
ing. The four incisures and the four bicuspides of the upper jaw, were
all more or less decayed. The eye teeth were sound. The posterior
bicuspides of the lower jaw were also decaying. Her gums, as she
truly said, were in a wretched condition, much swollen, loose and spongy
and bleeding on the slightest touch, and on pressing them with the finger,
puriform and bloody matter issued from about the necks of the teeth,
which were incrusted with large quantities of tartar : she had not been
able to use her brush for a long time on account of the soreness of the,
gums. Her breath was exceedingly offensive.
7